Dear College Student,
If you are reading this you either:
a) Gave into my promotional posts to read my blog and you gave in... - thank you for giving into your obvious need to read my blog, btw...
b) Got lost in the hustle and bustle of college life and somehow in all your lost-ness found this place...
OR
c) Found yourself totally and utterly procrastinating... You know... the kind where you are eating ALL the chocolate, binge watching the entire series of Friends and Orange Is the New Black on Netflix, hanging upside-down off of your bed to see if your room looks any different from that angle, or literally playing with your toes just to avoid all of the cramming you need to do to pass that test you thought you'd be ready for by now - but the snow days were totally against you and kept you inside your bed instead of in class.
WELL....
HAVE NO FEAR, FOR HIL GOLD WILL MAKE ALL THINGS STEADY AND CLEAR... - Yes, I know i'm corny xP
But seriously, I know all too well about midterms week and the hell it can cause on our lives and our bodies. That's why i've decided to share my last 4 and 1/2 years worth of midterms week knowledge upon you... Hooray! So, without further ado or any more ridiculous comments, here are...
10 things to do to survive midterms week!
1) SLEEP! - YES. You heard me right! Without this, all the studying you do will be for nothing. Your brain might grasp the material while you are studying it, but when it comes time to take the exam and you're half asleep, just watch how difficult it will be to remember everything, never-mind your eyes basically closing on you throughout the test and offending your professor. In the end, if you end up doing, not-so-hot on your exam/project, you can always speak to the professor and see if they will work with you to get your grade up. 9 times out of 10 a professor will be more than happy to help if you're willing to do the work, BUT, to avoid this all together all you have to do is sleep, because, SLEEP = SUCCESS!
2) Make healthy food choices! - EAT BREAKFAST! Get up that extra half hour earlier and go eat something! It will start you out on the right note and make your day seem even brighter! Then throughout the day have small snacks and make sure to have a fruit at every meal. This will not only give your body the right kind of nutrients and energy but, will make you feel like you're doing something right and when you feel good both physically and mentally, you'll be more likely to have a positive attitude towards studying and the test/project itself!
3) Take time to relax! - Put the time in and do your work but give yourself some time to unwind from the day. Even if you're not finished studying or working on those 3 projects, a small 10 - 20 minute break every hour and half to two hours will help maintain your focus and still give you time to socialize/continue binge watching Friends/OITNB :D
4) Wear comfortable clothing but DO NOT wear pajamas! There have been so many times where I wear my pajamas to study and after 2 hours, I feel like i've been in a trance or have even fallen asleep once or twice in the process. Believe it or not, what you are wearing affects how you feel! Wear something that is comfortable for you to be in for a few hours but not too comfortable to the point where you feel like you're in bed and about to go to sleep. I'd say yoga pants a t-shirt and a light jacket would do the trick for my girls, and sweat pants and a cool t-shirt for my guys should also do the trick!
5) ORGANIZEEEEE!!!! Organize your study space! This will make everything you have look like something you can easily take on and not overwhelm you! Having post its and different sections for each subject is the way to go.
For example, have your math class' class notes, HW assignments, old tests and practice exams at one part of your desk (i.e. top left of the table) and your History textbook, class notes, handouts and old HW assignments at the other side (i.e. top right of the table). Separate everything into piles and go through each pile three times. Then move on to the next pile. Going through each pile three times gets the information into your head while still allowing you to process the information. The first time through just read everything with a highlighter in hand and highlight main points. Second time around read through everything and write down little notes or opinions you have next to the highlighted points. Third time around read everything all together and hopefully you'll have a better understanding of the material. At the end of all of this you can have a friend test you on the information!
6) TIME MANAGEMENT! - Make sure you don't start studying for an exam the night before! It may be possible (although not recommended) to do this and get a passing grade, but do you really want the stress of having to know everything in one night on your shoulders? This will only add to the overall stress of midterms week and in the end give you less of a reason to care about the topic. *KEY* - If you can somehow find a way to be interested in the topic you are studying, you will more likely be able to remember the information - and it will make studying a bit more FUN! Therefore, make up cute songs/ or a rap for the info or find a way to relate the information to your life. This will make the whole studying process less tedious!
7) Do not study with your computer open or your phone on! (Oh no! The horror!!!)
Computers and phones have made our generation and the generation after us completely ADD. It seems like we can't focus for more than 2 minutes at a time and when you need to study for a midterm, focusing on the topic at hand is key. Set an alarm on your phone for every hour or so. This alarm will let you know when to take a 3 minute study break and check Facebook or whatever site you are addicted to at that moment xD If you want, you can set this alarm for every hour and a half to two hours and combine this 3 extra minutes with your snack/relaxation 10-20 minute break (for a total of 13 - 23 minutes of a break).
I know it may be hard to do, but just think of how happy you'll be after you're done with everything and also get a great grade on your exam/project!
8) Form a study group! Don't just form a study group with your friends because you know that you won't be bored through the studying process. Find people that you know are better than you in the topic and learn from them. All the greats have been known to surround themselves with people who are better than them in their given topic because you can learn so so much from your peers! The professors aren't the only ones who know things!
9) Ask questions! Whether it be in the class before your midterm, at a teacher's office hours, in your study group, with a peer from your class or even posting a status on Facebook, ask for help and ask questions! I know you've probably heard this before, but there really is no such thing as a stupid question! Most of the time, half of the class is confused about the same things you are and don't feel shy or stupid asking a teacher to answer a question they've already answered. Everyone process' things in their own way and time. The professor should want to help you! Remember, you can't do everything on your own!
There have been so many times that I couldn't find an answer I needed, so I did all of this and more! I've even posted status' on Facebook with my questions and if there was a Facebook group for the class or the topic, I would post in there too!
10) Finally, the last tip I have is to NOT WORRY too much! This is a midterm and as much as you want to do well, if you don't it's not the end of the world. Yes, you may be upset for a little bit but, if you really want something you will find a way. That's not only how school works but how the real world works as well. Haven't you ever wanted something so bad and even with multiple obstacles in your way, you found a way to get it? Well, the same goes for this. If you really want to do well, you'll find a way! If you have faith in yourself and remember these tips, you'll do just fine!
Good Luck and Kick Butt!!!
Until Next Time,
Hil Gold <3
