Midterms week is a time no college student particularly likes experiencing. Students may study for five, six or even seven exams over one to two weeks, viewed as impossible.
Students do the best they can on the tests, while reducing the stress from midterms. reduce the stress their mind off exams and doing the best they can to prove how hard they have worked.
Deborah McCoy, a senior, said midterms are a reflection of what students were taught in their classes, which may result in anxiety if they cannot recall.
“Midterms are stressful because they are a reflection of a student’s knowledge,” McCoy said. “Students are faced with showing all that they know about a particular subject area in a relatively short period of time, so having to perform well on one day is a lot of pressure.”
McCoy said students should not stress too much about midterm because they are not defined by the exam.
“To reduce stress, I try to internalize the idea that grades are not a reflection of my personality, it helps me separate who I am and my intelligence. If I don’t perform perfectly on a test, it doesn’t mean that I’m a failure,” McCoy said.
Students often use different tactics and strategies they deem effective. They often list study snacks and group study sessions as lifesavers. Emilia Galazka, a junior at Farmingdale University in Farmingdale, NY, is one of those students.
“My best study technique is to buddy up and get comfortable, find a space where you have everything that you need,” Galazka said. “Have a few snacks around, like cookies, celery or carrots, so that you can take a break when you get bored or tired and get some energy.”
Saleemah Shazeem, a junior, said her favorite way to study involved extreme organization.
“I study by making a schedule of all of the midterms that I have. Then I color code them and write when and where I need to take them. I also make a study sheet for each midterm and color code whatever information that each professor says to pay attention to along with information from the textbook,” Shazeem said.
Dr. Seo-Young Chu, professor of English Literature, recommended students use certain tricks when studying for their tests.
“You might find it helpful to select an unusually vivid paragraph, interact with the text physically. Use a blue pen to circle each adjective and a yellow marker to highlight each verb. Which color, if any, predominates? These are just a few questions that might help you move from ‘close reading’ to the making of an argument,” Chu said.
But Chu said students should ensure they are healthy during midterm season.
“Take care of your health, get enough sleep, meditate and eat nutritiously,” Chu said.
