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7 Tips to Stay on Top of Midterms

With my first year of university being completely online, I was a pretty lazy student with almost no work ethic. In high school, I could get away with cramming everything the night before — or in some cases, a few hours prior to the exam. However, second year was a slap to the face.


I spent my first semester in a constant state of disorganization, feeling burned out, and spending too much money at Starbucks. With the increased complexity of my courses and workload, I realized cramming wasn’t going to cut it and finally figured out what works best for me. So with midterm season fast approaching, here are a few tips on how to push through midterm season as an English student.


1. Office hours


I hated reaching out for help and preferred getting things done by myself. Even if this meant staying up all night teaching myself a completely new idea, I found ways to avoid asking my professors for help. I realized my second semester of second year, after begrudgingly pushing my stubbornness aside, that professors can be pretty nice! They aren’t as intimidating as they might seem — after all, they are here to provide guidance. Most professors are always happy to help, and if you can’t make their office hours, they’re generally able to accommodate you if you reach out to them in advance. This also applies to essays them to do so prior to your deadline. Visiting professors outside of class will also put you in their good books, which will be helpful in requesting letters of recommendation when applying for post-grad programs when the time comes.


2. Find a study method that works for you


Rewriting notes until they’re engraved into the back of your mind, and you’re able to recite every line from Jane Eyre verbatim, is probably how most of us initially approached university. This method is time consuming, and not as effective as other study methods out there. If you’ve found this study method works best for you, continue to do so. But if not, it’s worth investing the time into researching and practicing alternate methods that deliver the results you’re aiming for. Whether this be visually mapping out your ideas, repetitive auditory learning, or active recall, finding a method that works for you and being consistent with it cuts your study time by a considerable amount.


3. Identify trends within your professor's lectures


Pay close attention to terms that your professor emphasizes or repeats during your lectures. Usually, that topic will show up in the exam, or they’d like you to expand or discuss it in your essay/assignment. It’s unnecessary to memorize the text you’re studying from beginning to end, so jot down the points that keep appearing in your classes and gather quotes or other forms of evidence that support your opinion on this point. I’ve found this to be much more effective than memorizing every plot point or character analysis in the text and it saves me more time!


4. Learn how to answer like an English student


What I’ve found is that English professors don’t necessarily want you to agree with them, and that their methods of examination are usually opinion-based. Scope out the topics that you think will appear on the midterm and jot down your opinion on this topic. Now, one of the most important aspects of any English course is presenting and expanding on the evidence you provide. The evidence has to support your opinion, but does not necessarily have to be in the form of a quote from the text you’re being tested on. It could be a fact about the author, or the historical context the text is set in.


Start your answer off with your opinion, support it with evidence, and then elaborate on this evidence and your opinion whilst staying on track. Don’t just word vomit, but try and stay relevant to the topic. It might demonstrate that you have read the text, but it still is not what your professor is looking for! The same applies for essays. Develop a well thought-out and specific thesis, then structure your essay in a way that best explores your thesis and answers the question. Always provide evidence for your point, and don’t forget to recheck your grammar and punctuation. Your prose is extremely important for a well-written English essay or test, and you are marked on it – your prose must compliment your rhetoric. It does not need to be flowery vocabulary, but do make sure it is succinct and up to a college-level standard.


5. Find a study spot and curate a routine


Whether this be the cute little cubicles with lamps on Weldon’s ground floor, or an isolated, quiet spot in the corner of the Law Library, finding a spot that helps maintain your focus is great motivation for studying. Establish a routine that you stick with. This can be picking up coffee at the UCC and heading to your favorite spot before or after class, or grabbing food with your friend and heading to a group study session once a week. Whatever it may be, make studying something you look forward to. by altering your routine to your likes and needs. Your study sessions don’t have to look like long hours spent at a desk while fighting off sleep – make it fun!


Additionally, try separating your rest and study space. If you work from your bed or in your bedroom, your brain will associate your work space and all the anxieties it entails with your rest space. This might lead to an inability in being able to unwind, and can even take away your safe space.


6. Check in with your self


It’s easy to let your anxieties take over and feel overwhelmed with your workload. It’s important to regularly check in with yourself and slow down if your mind and body needs rest. You don’t always need to be sprinting; it’s not a race, and we all have our own pace. Regular positive self-talk is critical, so listen to your body! Try to incorporate regular activity in your days, but that doesn’t only mean doing hardcore weightlifting at the gym – a thirty-minute walk between studying, or getting up from the desk for a bit and stretching your limbs is just as good. Try to eat in regular patterns because food is fuel for your body and brain.


Most importantly, make time for yourself and the things you love to avoid burnout. Twelve hours of studying with no breaks isn’t the best long-term solution for your body, your mental health, or your grades. You can get just as much accomplished if you establish a routine and organize your time in a way where you have a window for yourself whilst accomplishing your academic goals.


7. Remember: academics do not determine your worth!

An overused line, but imperative to remember. School is not your life, but merely a part of it. It certainly does not determine who you are or your value. Remember that you are loved and cherished just as you are, no matter what grades you get!

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