Lessons Learned From Midterm Season

We’ve done it. We’ve gotten through another season of midterms, finally handing in that paper we’ve been stalling on for weeks, taking that test in the Science Center everyone crammed for. But now that we’ve gotten a very well-deserved break, let’s take a moment to reflect back on this midterm season before gearing up for finals or yet another round of midterms, since apparently I learned more than just my Quizlet flashcards.

Studying Early is a Myth

I’ve heard people swear up and down that if you just start early, studying really won’t be that bad!! Apparently, I’m supposed to sit down a week before my exam, open up Quizlet, and get to work. These same people claim that if I study for an hour every day leading up to the exam, when the time comes, I will “know the material.” If I study early instead of cramming, I’ll do… better? I think the theory is that my actions have consequences. Ugh.

Common Sense is Your Best Friend

Picture this: it’s the night before my midterm, and it’s getting to that time around 11:30 p.m. where if I power through I’d have maybe two more productive hours until I pass out. You might be thinking: But the midterm! You have to study! That’s where you’re wrong. LS1B? It’s your body. Econ 10B? I spend money everyday. Gov 20? I turned in my absentee ballot. You’ll figure it out. Common sense is king.

Escaping Your Dorm is Key

Here’s another time where much to my dismay, all the responsible people are right. Getting out of your dorm room to study, even if it’s at Capital One Cafe, crowded around a tiny table with friends, makes a huge difference. Sure, maybe you get distracted by the sidewalk sign (whose handwriting is that good??) or maybe you waste 20 minutes staring out the window people watching, but you got outside. You sat down with your work and no matter how many times you put your notes down to gossip with your friends, it was still more productive than rotting in your bed. Great work.

It’ll Actually Be Okay (Really!)

I have had my fair share of pre-midterm breakdowns and I have, on several occasions, walked out of an exam room thinking wow, I understood maybe a third of those questions?? Don’t get me wrong, I was not being dramatic and I really did understand less than half of the material, but I usually end up doing a little better than I feared. You probably will too.

Midterm week was a shitshow little stressful — I won’t deny it. While finals may be around the corner, I really do believe that with two midterm seasons under my belt, I get a little better at studying every time. I hope you do too.