As we power through the springtime scaries brought on by midterm season, students around Grounds are abuzz with stress-filled conversations — venting about Shannon seat scarcity, laying out their study plans and of course, bonding over sleep deprivation. If you can relate, I have a few mindset shifts and helpful suggestions to make this unforgiving time of the semester feel a bit easier. Plus, chances are that approaching your exams calmly and with confidence will actually boost your performance.
1. Midterms mean you are one step closer to finishing the semester
The only way to finish the semester is to make it to the end, and unfortunately, making it to the end requires trudging through midterms. Instead of looking at these assessments as some kind of cruel and unusual punishment, think of them as the vehicles driving you to the sunshine and joy of summer break. If you are a fourth-year wanting to avoid graduation, ignore this advice.
2. Studying can be an enjoyable process
Use midterms as a reason to set up camp in the library or a cozy coffee shop. If you must have a weekend study day, make it more pleasant by leaving the monotony of your desk. Maybe even bring some friends to work alongside you and provide moral support. Personally, I love doing work in Mudhouse early on Saturday morning before it becomes too busy. If nothing else, let your ego feel the boost of having a productive weekend study session.
3. Think of a midterm as a chance to shine
Midterms can easily cause you to second-guess yourself, making you worry about your grade, your GPA or even your self-worth. It’s just as easy, however, to turn this logic upside down. Instead of worrying about all the stuff you don’t know, a midterm can be an opportunity to reflect on all of the hard work and studying you have completed so far this semester. Put emphasis on the things you do know for the exam — and feel excited to show off all of the knowledge you’ve gained so far this semester.
4. Midterms are valuable feedback for finals season
At its core, your midterm serves as a test-run for the final, giving you valuable insight. What style of exam does your professor use? What information from coursework is emphasized on the exam? What is the best way to prepare? Your midterm will answer these questions while the stakes are lower and inform how you should prepare for the more significant final. Once you garner this information, you’ll have the tools to help you ace every test that follows.
5. Sometimes, test days are better than sitting through a real class
Hear me out — sometimes, an exam day beats a regular class day. Some classes drag on for an hour and 15 minutes, requiring active participation and maybe even — gasp — tedious group work. Exam days, however, are likely just you, your test and your Ticonderoga No. 2. Plus, at the very least, tests are engaging, and therefore have an edge up on lengthy, boring lectures. Perhaps you’ll finish earlier than your regular class time would have released, and you’ll have a few extra minutes to enjoy the day and bask in the relief of having the test over with.
6.Midterms are a great excuse for just about anything
Midterms are a totally valid reason to put some things on hold. It’s okay to let your laundry pile a bit higher than usual or forget about making your bed every morning. And hey, you might as well grab take-out for dinner — it’s midterms season. Plus, if you need a reason to avoid social plans, pull the midterm card. Chances are, everyone else is just as stressed about their own exams, and they’ll understand if you need to stay home.
7. Incentivize your studying with a treat
You would probably pick up your overpriced coffee on the way to the library regardless, but now you can truly justify it under the guise of a well-earned midterm treat. That vanilla latte goes down much smoother when you remember you are treating yourself for marching through the taxing pits of mid-semester assessments. Might I point out, midterms are arguably even more difficult than finals because classes are still meeting — so, yes, you really do deserve that extra coffee and the accompanying croissant. They’ll compensate for all of the sleep you have had to sacrifice.
8. Use study tactics acquired from the hundreds of tests you’ve survived before
I find comfort in reminding myself of all the exams, papers, projects and presentations I have endured over the years and all of the study techniques I have perfected through them. Strapped with strategic notes, group cram-sessions, Quizlet and many other tools, I promise that we are much more prepared for midterms than we think, and that with the right preparation, we are absolutely capable of passing them with flying, or at least fluttering, colors.
9. You could drop the word “midterm” altogether
Perhaps “midterm” sounds more daunting than what it really is — simply another assessment. Personally, I have a gripe with the word “midterm” because students and professors alike use it to describe any exam, project or paper up until the very last week of class. I already have “midterms” scheduled well into April this semester. In my opinion, it should solely be reserved for exams occurring at the middle of the term. To avoid this confusion and to omit the worrisome connotation that “midterm” may bring, consider dropping it entirely to help protect your peace during this part of the semester.
10. It’s literally just an exam
This advice feels rich coming from me, someone who regularly feels like the importance of an exam or paper cannot be understated. Nevertheless, I have survived plenty of my own rough exam days during my four years at the University, and it is a relief to report that one exam tells only a small piece of a much larger story. Each time I have left an exam feeling like my world had just been rocked, I lived to tell the tale, and the world kept on spinning.
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