The midpoint of the semester is here and with it comes midterms, procrastination, stress and everything else that comes with reaching the hump of this round of classes. However, surviving this time of the year is not impossible, as there are many ways to ensure you stay on track until December with your grades and sanity intact.
Figure out what you don’t know/need to work on.
Take a step back and look at your classes. Where do your grades stand? You can check your midterm grades under the grades tab on your student center, just to see where you’re at, as long as your professor has entered them.
Are there any classes in particular where you are struggling? If so, try to pinpoint why you are struggling. Meeting with your professor during their office hours is one way to do this, while also being an invaluable resource for the class. Also, reviewing any assignments done for the class can be helpful for correcting your mistakes.
Once you’ve narrowed down the topics you need to focus on, it’s just a matter of sitting down and studying them. If it’s a math or science class, doing practice problems is great for application of the skills learned. If it’s an english class, rereading relevant course materials can help refresh you. So on and so forth.
Plan ahead.
The midterm marks the halfway point of the semester, meaning final exams are a little over a month away and scheduling for the next semester is beginning. This is where you’ll want to make sure you finish off the semester strong and set yourself up well for the next semester.
Look ahead on your class schedules for when final exams are and ensure you prepare accordingly. The last thing you want is to reach exam week and not be ready in the slightest.
Also, you can meet with your academic advisor to plan out your next semester. Take into account the pros and cons of your previous semesters for how you will schedule the next one. Were you taking a manageable amount of credit hours? Did you still have enough time for friends and extracurriculars? Did you give yourself useful breaks in between classes to eat and relax? These are just a few of the things you can discuss with your advisor, while also accepting their valuable advice.
Take time for yourself.
Classes aren’t always the root of the issue however, as problems outside of the classroom can have just as big of an impact as failing a test. Maintaining a healthy social life, engaging in your favorite hobbies and activities and spending some time away from the textbooks and Canvas quizzes are all important.
Devote some time to a campus organization to get your mind off things. Try out some local restaurants that you’ve wanted to go to. Do some charity work or even just hang out with your friends and talk about whatever’s on your mind.
Look ahead.
Once you get through the homestretch, you’re free. Make sure you enjoy this break while you have it. Maybe plan a trip with your friends or apply for some jobs to put some extra dough in your pocket. The winter and summer breaks are your time to forget about studying for a while and relax. If you’ve had a particularly stressful semester, there’s nothing better than waking up in the morning without a worry on your mind and a whole day to do what you please.
If you’re in the midst of your classes and feel like the late nights of caffeine and studying will never end, just look forward to the relief you’ll feel when your final exam is over.
Getting through the semester can’t be done in one night, so make it easy on yourself.
As the exceptional Jordin Sparks sang on her debut album, “One step at a time.”