As autumn brings changing leaves and haunted houses to Colorado Mesa University (CMU), the joy of the season is often thwarted by the anxiety surrounding an event scarier than the entirety of Halloween: midterms.
Instead of giving in and accepting your doom (as tempting as it may be), here are a couple things you can do to prepare yourself to make it through all your midterms.
- Actually, you know, study.
First things first – reviewing your notes and rereading your textbook will not only help your grades, but it will also help you feel less nervous going into the exam. Even just glancing over the lecture slides before bed each night can help you remember basic concepts and feel more prepared. Use your professors’ office hours and pay a visit to the Tutorial Learning Center (TLC) if you need help.
2. Rally the troops.
Forming study groups with classmates or having study sessions with friends can make the process of preparing for midterms much more fun. It also helps to have other perspectives brought to light in a group study session, and classmates can help you in areas where you might be struggling. Not to mention, there’s something cathartic about collective complaining.
3. Try to cut the caffeine.
We’ve all been there – hunched over a textbook at 3 a.m., trying to absorb information through blurry vision, and running entirely on coffee and energy drinks. All-nighters are a staple of university life, but they don’t actually help when it comes to tests. The information won’t stick if you can barely keep your eyes open. You’ll be better off with a night of sleep under your belt. Instead of saving all the studying for the night before, do it in increments.
4. Use a rewards system… sparingly.
No, putting your name and the date on a study guide doesn’t earn you a hot bubble bath. But an afternoon of solid, productive work might. Setting small, lower-order goals to work toward can help studying seem less looming, and it will help your focus and mindset to take a break every once in a while.
5. Set a long-term goal.
It is important to remind yourself of why you’re working to rock this midterm – maybe it’s to get into a fun class next semester, make an academic list, or win a rivalry between classmates. Whatever the reason is, if you motivate yourself for a specific purpose, it will make the studying process much more streamlined.
Midterms will be stressful no matter what, but by preparing and remembering to take care of yourself, they can be less daunting. Make a plan and stick to it; that way, when the time comes for corn mazes and trick or treating, you can relax and enjoy yourself without the pressure of mid-semester exams.
