Midterm Study Guide
It’s that time of the semester again. No matter how many Red Bulls you chug, that spectacular mix of sleep deprivation and stress overrides artificial energy. With midterms on the horizon, you might find yourself wondering how you’re meant to persevere on such a twisty trail. Well, you’re in luck. Red Bull may not give you wings, but this article can give you some handy tricks to unwind that stress to do your best.
Have you revised the previously submitted assignments? Those can offer a great starting point. Your professors may have left comments about where to improve and what you have a good grasp on. You can also go through the assignments themselves to see where you’re falling short on and start prepping a to-do study list on where you need improvement. After all, these are midterms we’re dealing with. What you’ve done in class so far should offer insight into where you fall.
Next up: flip to the end of a chapter in your textbook. Some textbooks offer varying sections to tie up the chapter. One section you could possibly find is “key terms” where important vocabulary is listed. If a word doesn’t look familiar, try finding it by checking if a page number is listed or scanning the pages for bold or italicized words. Another section may offer questions to ruminate on. If you can answer the question soundly, you’re good. If you struggle with it, even in the slightest, skim the pages until you can answer the question in your own words.
Sometimes remembering key terms or concepts can be a struggle, especially for those of us in majors with dense information. Rewording definitions and questions in a unique way can help root them in your mind, like calling neurotransmitters the highway of the brain. If you can explain something in simple terms that would make even a stranger understand, you’re doing just fine.
Finally, try looking into different note-taking styles. Your notebooks don’t have to be filled from the bottom to the top. Rather, the pages should be unique to the way your mind works. Not everyone can remember paragraphs at a time, and sometimes just being able to draw a map of what term goes to what definition is better than an empty paper. Not sure where to start? Here’s a good starter to check out what strategy might fit you best: Common Note-taking Methods | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Though we may have midterms every semester, they are fleeting things in the conquest of time. Don’t let them haunt you. The time will pass no matter what happens, so it’s best to embrace and move through the spectral terror of grades. Come out of the other end with a D if you must but come out no matter what.
