It’s that time of the year again, when the dreaded “M” word starts to haunt the dreams of students, and no, I don’t mean monsters, I mean midterms. Scary right? I think so too. Yet what most students don’t know is that there is no need to fear the upcoming weeks. Yes, the torque game from physics class might be giving you nightmares, but if you prepare correctly, you can banish that anxiety from your mind. So in lieu of that, here are some (hopefully) helpful tips and tricks to keep the midterm monster at bay in the following weeks.
Stress plays a pretty big role in our high school careers, as I’m sure many of us have experienced firsthand. In small doses it keeps us ready for the next assignment or project, always looking for ways to get ahead and prepare. Yet too much of anything is a bad thing, and too much stress can ultimately do far more harm than good. Especially during such a time as exams, it is important to keep your stress levels low so as to not disrupt things like your sleep schedule and the way your mind functions. Here are some tips as to how to achieve that goal…
No electronic devices 30 minutes before going to bed and 15 minutes after waking up
Go out for a quick walk or sit on the porch to get a breath of fresh air when feeling anxious
Spend quality time (even as little as 15 minutes) every night with family and/or pets to release some much needed serotonin and lower those cortisol levels
Eat healthy foods!!! Nourishing your body is so important, and many people don’t release that your brain is a muscle and needs constant fuel
Practice some self-care every night, whether that looks like taking an epsom salt bath or doing a quick round of sudoku → remember you deserve to have some fun while studying!
Practice some yoga or meditation once in a while (deep breathing counts too)
Now that you’re a little wiser about handling stress, let’s move on to the fun part: studying! Just kidding. But you can make it more enjoyable than staring at your paper for hours on end, hoping the knowledge might just absorb into your brain through osmosis. Pro tip: don’t do this, I know from experience. So, if you’re like me and doing some last minute studying and need some ways to be more productive, here are some things I’ve found to be useful.
Take 10 minute breaks between studying for units and get a snack or use the bathroom
Make flashcards for any subject where you need to learn vocabulary, dates, terminology, or equations → I use them in every subject, HIGHLY recommend
Study in small increments over longer periods of time!! Cramming will only give you a headache and some (un)fashionable dark circles
Go to teachers for help, even over small things, I promise you they will not think you’re dumb
Actively review your notes and old tests → retry old problems you got wrong or try to answer/solve the question in a different way
Practice, practice, practice!!!
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