It’s safe to say that for most college students, midterm season is the worst time of the academic year. Libraries are flooded with distressed students drowning in review guides, deadlines and their own tears a lot of the times. As a first-year who just endured three exams scheduled on the same day along with a million extracurricular responsibilities, my first swarm of spring-semester exams was beyond stressful, however now that they’re done I feel a huge weight off my shoulders and ready to get back to my regular academic routine with a little less on my mind. While you might be suffering the wrath of school like I did just recently, here are some tips you can keep in mind while cramming equations into your head, browsing textbooks for hours, or praying for those A’s to minimize your stress as much as possible!
1. Avoid cramming at ALL costs.
While you might be one of those students who works well under pressure, it is virtually impossible to do well when you haven’t seen material just days before the exam. Make a study schedule and stick to it, that way you’ll be sure you’ve spaced the information out and have let it process for a bit. I’m a huge advocate for calendars and to-do lists, so definitely make those to declutter your mind and focus on the goals at hand.
2. Don’t sacrifice sleep for studying!
Personally, I’ve never been a late-night study-er. To many it may come as a surprise, but I never was one to stay up past midnight finishing homework, as I know I’m super tired by then and nothing is being processed in my head. And honestly, I don’t regret adapting to this study style as I’ve become one to wake up early and do my work. That being said, if you find yourself dozing off while working late at night, consider getting into the routine of waking up earlier to do your work or finding ways to finish your work before a reasonable time in the PM. Whatever you do, find a way to get those Z’s in at night; they’re vital for keeping up your study stamina.
3. Keep up with your other activities to balance work and recreation.
Although it’s necessary to prioritize schoolwork over extracurriculars or social events for the time being while you’re studying, it’s okay to take breaks and do what you enjoy. This will let you chill for a little while and motivate you to take healthy mental pauses. This is something I wish I had done, as during my hell weeks I skipping going to the gym, attending yoga classes or just hanging out with my friends over ice cream. Instead I had it ingrained in my mind that I had to spend every waking moment focusing on my exams, not letting my mind rest. Don’t be afraid to stop once in a while to let yourself breathe!
4. When your stressed, find something to relieve that stress.
This kind of goes along with my previous tip, but don’t let yourself get overstressed! It’ll only make you less productive in the long run. When you do be sure to sit back and relax for a bit doing whatever calms you down - reading, writing, listening to music, exercising or even sleeping. Do it for 15-20 minutes to relieve stress, then continue working. Temporarily decluttering your mind will help you focus on your work better and retain more information.
5. Remember that grades don’t define you. Strive for your personal goals and don’t compare yourself to others because in the end, your personal self-appreciation and health is what matters most.
I’m definitely no star student, however these are things I really wish I had kept in mind during the blur of exam stress and hope every college student going through exams take these tips to heart as they hibernate in the library for hours a day in the name of their GPA. Don’t let the stress of exams affect your personal wellbeing; no matter your grades, life will go on and doing the best you can is all that truly matters in the end.
