It’s that time of year again. Break out the pumpkin-spiced refreshments and crack open those textbooks; it’s midterm season!!! Do you feel like that last sentence would’ve been better punctuated with a sad face emoji? Here are a few tips from the Study Hut on how to rock your midterms!
- Don’t wait until the last second to prepare.
Yeah, yeah, I know, you’ve heard this one since you had to study for your colors of the rainbow test in kindergarten. But avoiding procrastination is particularly important when it comes to midterms. Maybe you can skate by with one of those lunch recess cram seshes for a normal test, but midterms usually cover the entire semester’s material. You’ve gotta space out your studying. Better yet, come up with a concrete plan of attack. Use your planner to map out which material you’ll study on a given day, or a given hour.
- Make flash cards.
Or Quizlet. Or both. Studies show that flashcards are one of the most effective study tools in the game. If you’re studying vocabulary, don’t just write the word and the definition; include the part of speech, and synonyms and antonyms. If you’re studying for history, make flash cards for historical figures. Even in math, make flash cards for theorems and postulates and vocabulary. If you’re doing midterms right, you should be keeping Office Depot in business.
- Attack areas of weakness first
If you’re totally listo for Español, but not at all ready for Algebra, make sure you allow plenty of time to get yourself up to par in math. Sticking to material you already feel comfortable with is, well, comfortable, but the most effective study strategy is to allot the most study time to midterms for which you feel least ready.
- Schedule a Session at the Study Hut
Didn’t see that one coming, did you? Our tutors are trained in the art of midterm-prep. If you’re looking to create a personalized study plan, or you’re just plain stumped in a subject, we’re here to help! All of our sessions are one-on-one, and we still have openings!
- Try not to Stress too Much
Space out your studying enough to have some time to yourself. Cramming leads to burning out which leads to high stress and low test scores. Get outside. Enjoy autumn. Eat some pumpkin-spice Twinkies, or pumpkin-spice hummus, or pumpkin-spice Pringles (all real things).
