We are not very far away l from one of the most stressful weeks in the semester — midterm week. On the bright side, this means that you are already halfway through the semester. On the other hand, midterm week is usually the time when people stop taking care of themselves properly and spend time studying, suffering from a lack of sleep and caffeine addictions. However, as students, we must try our best to be successful without abandoning self-care. Here are some tips for getting through midterm week successfully.
Don’t procrastinate
You’ve waited until the very last minute and defied all expectations laid out by your professors when they warned you on syllabus day that this assignment was one that “cannot be done the night before.” While many of us have procrastinated at one point in their life — some of us more than others — midterms week is one of those weeks that you should not. Let’s face it, there’s no chance that you can cram fifteen chapters worth of content in one night. In fact, according to the Association for Psychological Science, writing out practice questions and studying little by little over time were the best methods for passing exams. So, begin to eliminate your distractions and start studying. Set deadlines for yourself so you’ll know when to study and how to study.
Reach out for help
If you need assistance with test preparations, consider reaching out to your professors, advisors and other resources for help right now. Don’t wait until the day of the actual midterm to go to your professor’s office to ask for help regarding concepts that you do not understand. At best, you will receive a deadpan expression and a weak explanation. At worst — well, at worst you won’t be able to find them in their office the day of said midterm. Start going to their office hours and asking questions now.
Apart from going to office hours, you can also make an appointment with other on-campus resources like the Tutoring and Testing Center which provide academic support services. It offers individualized tutoring in areas that extend from the sciences to humanities.
Keep a positive attitude
Sometimes, stress and worry can get the best of us which is why it’s important to always keep a positive attitude and try your absolute best. Try to not get too stressed because that can take a toll on your mental and physical health. If it seems hard, keep pushing, but do not push yourself to the brink of breaking apart.
Love yourself
Take some time out of your day to go to the gym or to relax. Take constant study
breaks and treat yourself — whether it be taking a nap or going out to eat lunch with a friend. Also, remember to sleep. Not only is it important for your health, but a study done by the Association for Psychological Science also showed that 60 percent of students who pulled all-nighters did worse than they would have otherwise done. As much as we lowkey take pride on who slept the least in our friend groups, now is not the time to bring out those bragging rights. If possible, try to get at least six hours of sleep in. Apart from sleeping, make sure you are eating correctly. Don’t let your bloodstream be filled with iced coffee and bacon gouda. Eat something nutritious.
Midterms week is stressful but you can overcome it if you study and prepare properly. Remember to reach out for help when you need it, take study breaks and keep a positive attitude.
