Midterm Madness

Happy October folks! I hope everyone had a good and productive week. Thanksgiving is just around the corner.. that means midterms (and/or assignment deadlines) are fast approaching. I hope everyone is settled into their classes and on top of their readings and homeworks. However, if you are not and still on that summer vacation boat.. don't sweat it. You have a week or so to prepare, as well as a long weekend to catch up on your readings.

We are halfway through the semester, but this also means that midterm madness is about to be on full effect. Like others, I'm not the biggest fan of this time of the year, because unlike finals, everyone still has classes and assignments on top of all that studying. If you are having a difficult time surviving.. no worries, here are few tips that can help you survive and hopefully pass your midterms and assignments with flying colours:

Prepare yourself. I know having 7-8 hours of sleep is almost nearly impossible to achieve when you're a university student but make sure to get that couple of hours of sleep before tackling a long to-do-list. Caffeine may not be the best over-all and only strategy to keep yourself going for the day (or even for the night). Staying hydrated, taking 10-15 naps in between your classes are only some of the ways you can fight off that sluggish feeling.You can check this article out from webmd.

Have a little nest for studying. I am one of the many students who can't study at home. There are just too many distractions! (i.e. my bed, tv, and even my puppy). If you are like me, then the library and study rooms in school are the best place for you to study for those dreaded midterms. Give yourself a couple of hours before and/or after your classes, to stay in school to finish a chapter or two. Turning off your phone and your computer can help as well. Also, either study alone or have a group study.. but whichever works best for you in absorbing all the materials, the better.

Keep a to-do-list nearby. Having a to-do-list is definitely a helpful reminder during midterms. While constantly having questions like "Is this due today? Or next week? What else I need to do?" keep circulating in my head as I try to finish reading a chapter, so, having a to-do-list in front of me helps me concentrate and fight off that anxiety. The feeling of checking off tasks in your to-do-list may also be the booster you need to get through that list. Plus, it feels amazing to see a complete to-do-list during this stressful time!

Note-taking. Note-taking can be time consuming, especially during these stressful times. Highlighting and writing small notes on the book or journal articles can be an alternative to note-taking. Or if you don't want to write on your books, I find what really helpful is taking small notes on post-its and sticking them to the pages on the book. Writing short summary on post-its or index cards can help you memorize important terms and definitions.

Break. Yes, it may not be part of your to-do-list but this may be one of the important ones. Having a 10 to 15 minute-break during an hour or two intervals keeps you going. It helps you refresh your mind and makes you concentrate better.

Study skills counsellors are here to help. You can book an appointment to help you improve your study habits and grades. You can do so, through your intranet, found under the calendar (on the left tab).

Good luck!!
Katrina