Staying Sane During Midterm Madness

It’s that time of year again. One minute you are receiving your syllabus and then before you know it, you find yourself in line at the bookstore purchasing a Scantron. It can only mean one thing: midterms. Just the thought of a midterm is enough to send students into a panic.

Why are midterms such a big deal? They’re just like any other test, right? If these tests are just like any other exam, why do people make such a big deal about them? More importantly, what should you do to prepare for one?

You’ve probably heard that studying for an hour after every class from the very beginning of the semester is a great way to retain information. Or perhaps someone has told you that getting appropriate sleep will benefit your test taking skills. Finally, you must already be aware that if you study for an hour or so before you go to bed and then wake up to promptly finish studying, you are more likely to retain information, whereas you are actually at higher odds to forget information you spend all night researching.

These are all the standard ways to study for an exam. But let’s face it; they’re so outdated. We’ve all been there before: staying up all hours of the night trying to cram every last bit of information in, all to get to class and draw a blank. In this day and age, college students have come up with new ways to prepare for midterms which are far superior to old-fashioned study procedures like the ones listed above.

Today, students are very keen on reading between the lines and looking for a deeper meaning in mundane objects. This trait is especially valuable when studying for a midterm as it can guide students in the right direction. For example, let’s say you have a big nutrition exam you are studying for. You sit down and open up your textbook right to a picture of an ice cream cone. This signifies the fact that you are hungry and will be a much better test-taker with a full stomach. There you have it: this is a sign that it is time to put away your books and head to Nutter’s.

Perhaps you plan on going to the library to study. But just as you are about to step inside the building, you get a text from your favorite clothing store saying they are having a one day only sale. That must be a sign that you are stressed and need to clear your head. Besides, nothing prepares the mind like some retail therapy, right?

College students have also put emphasis on staying healthy in order to prepare for a test. For example, it’s the night before your midterm and your friend invites you to a party. Well, think about it for a moment. Social health is a key element of one’s well being. You wouldn’t want to get sick from lack of social health just in time for midterms would you? Of course not! Besides, alcohol will help you imagine possible ideas for that creative writing portion of the exam. Ten rounds of Jose Cuervo will actually come in handy for that Spanish midterm you have tomorrow (you’ve noticed you always become bilingual every time you have a margarita, anyway).

If this all sounds appealing to you, just think about that headache you’ll have tomorrow! Maybe it will be so bad that you’ll actually miss your midterm entirely. How cool would that be?

In all seriousness, although these “preparations” may sound appealing, they are nothing more than distractions. Midterms are an important part of your grade that can affect your overall GPA. Yes, they can be a stressful part of your college experience, but they are not as overwhelming as they seem. Give yourself a sufficient amount time to study, get a good night’s sleep and relax; it’s just a test! It will be over in an hour and then you are free to indulge in all the ice cream, shopping and Jose Cuervo you want.

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