No matter how much students love the college experience, there is one part of it that everyone could live without: midterm exam week. There is no way around them, and panicking, stressing and overdosing on coffee just makes the week more painful than it has to be. But taking advantage of all of the services at NSU can help students get through their exams and midterm papers with their sanity and the motivation to succeed intact for the second half of the semester.
Visit the Tutoring and Testing Center
The Tutoring and Testing Center, located on the second floor of the Student Affairs Building offers a variety of academic support services, including individual tutoring in mathematics, science and writing. Online tutoring is also available; after visiting the office to make an appointment, you will be instructed to download the Wimba live platform on your home computer or laptop to interact with a live tutor. You can schedule up to three appointments per course, per week, and you should bring all relevant notes, textbooks and practice problems to your session.
Find the perfect study spot
NSU is a bustling place, but there are plenty of quiet and comfortable study spots hidden around campus. If you need fresh air and plenty of space, a place in the grass near the Gold Circle Lake will provide a sunny and refreshing place to read. For those who need complete silence, the study rooms and cubicles on the second and third floors of the Alvin Sherman Library are ideal. A more hidden location are the second and third floors of the Don Taft University Center, where students can move sofas, chairs and tables around to create their ideal study space. Also, take advantage of the open access computers, printers and break rooms located on the second and third floors of the Carl DeSantis Building
Book a study room
The quietest place to hold a group study session, or even enjoy some peaceful time with just you and your books, is a study room in the Alvin Sherman Library. But during midterm week, the rooms fill up quickly, so it’s important to reserve a room as far in advance as possible. Reservations can be made on the library’s website, nova.edu/library/main. Group study rooms accommodate up to eight people, and two people must be present at the circulation desk to pick up the key to the room at the beginning of the reservation.
Take a break
Rest and relaxation are essential to success during midterm week. Students often get burned out by the end of the week and may not perform their best on a Thursday or Friday exam. Whether you’re in the Parker Building and you have to stop by the cafe for a cup of coffee or you’re in the Carl DeSantis Building and headed to Monty’s Cafe for a bagel with schmear, don’t neglect to rehydrate, refuel and re-energize in intervals. If you’re going to be in a rush, keep a bottle of water and energy bars in your backpack at all times. Also, get up every hour and walk to stretch your legs and keep blood circulating throughout your body and, most importantly, to your brain.
Visit professors
The hours listed on every NSU professor’s syllabus are there for a reason: they allocate this time to address students’ questions and concerns regarding unclear class material and assignments, grades and even tips on performing well on their exams. Consult your syllabus or look it up on CourseWizard, and send you professor an email to schedule a meeting in his or her office. Use this time to ask your professor to clarify any confusing material, help you work through a complicated practice problem, review a previous exam or ask for direction in deciding which material to focus on the most as you study for the midterm.
Visit the COMP Writing Studio
The Writing Studio, located in Room 127C of the Parker Building, is a good place for composition students to receive exclusive help with their midterm papers. The Writing Fellows, who work at the office, are a group of undergraduate students of varying majors who have high levels of experience in editing and writing and are available to help students enrolled in COMP classes by appointment or walk-in. Bring your assignment or assignment instructions, all relevant resources and, of course, your paper in progress. The studio is also open to COMP students who simply want a quiet place to work on their assignments with the opportunity to ask fellows for help.
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