Midterm meltdown

With the fifth week of school behind us, college students know that midterms are waiting on their doorsteps. If they are anything like me, it means that there are three days left before that test that’s anywhere from 20 to 50 percent of their grade, and desperation has set in so deep that the it has become the inspiration for a new branch of philosophy. Though panic may be far off and that third cup of espresso wipes away any immediate need to sleep (is my hand shaking while I type?), there are definitely a few things one could do to maximize those last 72 hours (or 12) before a midterm:

1. Teamwork
While I would ordinarily say that group work is an easy way for students to contribute unequal amounts of work, distributing the memorizing among students and then collaborating to teach the information is infinitely more productive that slaving over your notes in the wee hours of the morning. Finding a study group or making a Google Doc study guide and splitting up the note taking can ease your load as well as the need to shift through massive amounts of information by dividing it up and conquering it together. It’s also easier to approach that eight-hour time block you made in a Leavey study room when you’re with a group because who wants to be alone on the third floor if they can help it?

2. Find a Veteran From Your Class
The next best thing to do after finding a study group is seek out friends or acquaintances who have taken the class with your professor within the last two semesters. While the material or book may have changed, the way the professor writes exams probably has not, and these people can be a valuable resource for how to tackle difficult problems or oddly worded prompts. Bonus points if you can use these people to get ahold of past exams, too.

3.  Go to Office Hours
Office hours are definitely not only for people who legitimately have questions about lecture material. They can also be utilized to clarify things like what sort of questions will be asked, which topics students struggle with most and how to answer short answer or short essay questions. This method is not always the most effective or reliable way to prepare for an exam and depends on the professor, but it can definitely help you guide your study focus more.

4. Overwhelmed Beyond the Point of Studying?
As always, your own health comes before pushing yourself to your mental extremes. If all-consuming anxiety is all that you feel at this point, maybe going to the health center and getting some counseling is not a ridiculous idea. According to the American Psychological Association, 41.6 percent of college students experience anxiety, followed by 36.4 percent who experience symptoms of depression. These numbers have been increasing for the last few years and indicate that students should seek professional help when they need it in order to avoid growing problems they may be experiencing. Knowing when too much is too much will most likely benefit you more than cramming in that last few hours for those procrastinated GE readings.

As always, there are plenty of ways to deal with midterm stress, but hopefully a few of these will work out better for you and maybe get you that extra three to four hours of rest before the big test.