Ah, the dreaded midterm season is upon us. You may be one of the many, like myself, that suffer from intense amounts of worry or anxiety associated with test taking. This is normal and completely solvable, it only took me failing one or two Chemistry exams (sorry mom and dad) to figure out some solutions.
1.The most skillful cramming will do nothing if you get zero sleep along with it.
Getting a good night of sleep before an exam is one of the most important things that you can do to decrease unease the day of. This is something my parents have engraved in my mind since the beginning of college, to which I always counter with, “sleep won’t help me learn the information if I don't know it before going to bed.” You see how this could easily turn into a back and forth cycle which typically ends with a fit of panic and a large amount of chocolate being consumed.
2. Try your best not to procrastinate with studying.
Trust me, I know that this is asking a lot, especially in college. As an avid procrastinator myself, this is something I am still working on. But really, if you start your studying a week in advance, this will decrease you anxiety the day of the exam. I find that I am most worried when I do not feel confident about the material, so take control of this worry. Learn the content of a class like the back of your hand, that way worry cannot stem from it anymore.
3. Use the five-year rule.
I find myself applying this concept more and more to my everyday life since I was introduced to it. When you find yourself in an anxiety inducing situation, especially school related, ask yourself: will this matter in five years and will I still be worrying about it? In most cases the answer will be no. You will not be thinking about that one biology grade in five years so that is that. Do not apply five-year anxiety to something that does not warrant it.
4. Review the morning of but do not overdo it.
I find it very helpful to get a good night sleep and wake up early to resume. That way you can pick out a nice outfit you feel confident in, eat a good breakfast, and have some time to do a quick review over your notes. The key word here is quick. Do not overdo the studying the day of; you want to enter an exam with a fresh mind and not already be tired from over studying.
5. Finally, do your best and forget the rest.
At the end of the day, all that you can do is your best. Drop the expectations and mean inner thoughts. Know that you have done everything you can to prepare for this and now all you have to do is show what you know. You are not your grade, just try to be the best that you can be.
Now go out there and rock those midterms, then (most importantly) celebrate this weekend when they are over. May the odds be ever in your favor.
