Studying for Spring Midterms can be a stressful time. You may have two midterms on the same day and not enough time to study or are trying to balance work and school during this cram period. Your anxiety is totally normal and we all go through it this time of the year in College. You might be worried about these 10 things but we’ll put your mind at ease and help you get through Spring midterms like a champ.
If you’re worried about not having enough time to study for all your classes then just start small. Two weeks before your midterm, study for each of your classes for 30 minutes and make sure you’re caught up on all the readings and assignments. A week before your midterm, study for each class for an hour and you should be prepared. If you think you don’t have enough time to do this, then see which classes you’re doing the worst in and spend more time on those classes and less time on the classes you’re doing well in.
People tend to think they need to study all day before a midterm but you really only need to study for an hour for each class if you’re caught up on all the readings and assignments. Studying should just refresh your memory of what you already know, not teach your brain something new for the first time. If you’re having trouble scheduling time to study, allow an hour the day before the test to study for each class and that should be plenty enough time- you don’t want to overwork your brain!
Everybody’s extra paranoid that they are going to fail the first big test of the class. Midterms are usually worth 15-25% of the grade so if you fail that doesn’t mean you will fail the class, although, it does mean you will have to do better on the other tests. Try not to overthink the first test, this test will show you the grading and test style of the teacher so you are bound to be more familiar with that style and do better on the later tests. Get those negative thoughts out of your head and just do the best you can!
Balancing school and work is hard especially when you’re going to a four-year university and its time for Spring midterms. Both work and school are a priority but during midterm and finals time, school should be your number one priority. Ask for some days off around midterms time and spend the majority of your free time studying- easier said than done, I know. Most people have to take out student loans to go to college and most people work to pay off those student loans but if you fail a class that’s a lot more money wasted than a couple days of work so just make school during this time a priority.
You may feel like you have a ton of studying to do and the only way to do it is to cram it all in one night and stay up all night before an important test. This is not a smart option, you’re better off not studying at all and getting a good nights rest to have your brain fully working for when it’s time to take the test. Studying is important but you shouldn’t be studying all night long, study up until you go to bed and maybe for 30 minutes before your test and make sure you get 7-8 hours of sleep so your brain is fully functioning when it’s test time.
Working out, eating properly even showering, washing your face and brushing your teeth can seem too exhausting and time-consuming during midterms- we’ve all been there. Maybe this time do the bare minimum. You can do a 30-minute workout video instead of hitting the gym for two hours. You can take a body shower and use dry shampoo or baby powder in your hair. You can brush your teeth just at night time. Whatever gets you through this time- no one’s going to judge you.
A lot of people are obsessed with getting an “A” in every class and every assignment and grades are important but “B’s” are good too. Don’t worry too much about your grade on the midterm as it is only a fraction of your total grade. And although your final grades are important the most important thing is you pass and graduate as most employers only care whether you have a degree or not. Don’t stress it, just do the best you can!
If you feel like you don’t have time to study for every class maybe just lower your expectations. Study for 30 minutes instead of two hours or just focus on the classes that you’re not doing as good in. The best way you can make sure you’re prepared for a test is to keep up with the readings and assignments. If you’re doing all the readings when they’re assigned, you really don’t have to study that much and cram a bunch of information in all in one night.
Sometimes midterms are at a different time than the normal class or your teacher locks the door after the test is given out. This can cause a lot of anxiety because it means a complete fail. Make sure you know the time and place you need to be for the test and set your alarm 30 minutes earlier than usual to make sure you’re on time. Better early than not being able to take the test and if you’re on time, you’re late.
Sleep is very important during midterms and often gets very little priority. Even if you study for hours and hours, if you’re tired you won’t be able to retain that information. Make sure that you’re getting enough sleep during this time even if it means you don’t study as much because having an awake and functioning brain is more important.
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