Week 5 marks the official start of midterm season…I think. Naturally, Union’s ten-week schedule means that right in the middle of the term, week 5, is when midterms should take place. I use the word “naturally” because this is natural—basic math. Yet, I spent this past week, week 4, binding myself to my tried-and-true ISEC study space (which I will not be giving away, I’m not sorry) and burying myself in textbook quotes, class notes, and lecture slides for two out of my three courses this term. These past four weeks have been filled with content for me, and I definitely struggled to retain all of that information for the midterms that I’ve already taken. Though, I know that not everyone’s course load is like mine, and some students are just now preparing for their own midterm purgatory. Given that fact, I decided to take a school-wide survey, open to all students via the Concordiensis Instagram, on midterm preparation and what students are expecting this season. Without further ado, let’s dive into the questions!
What midterm(s) are you dreading most?
This first question yielded a lot of the answers that I was expecting. Calculus, chemistry, and general math courses were the most dreaded of all, as they would be for myself. Let’s just say there’s a reason why my chosen extracurricular is writing for the school newspaper and not devoting my time to math tutoring. Due to this fact, I don’t have much advice for tackling these midterms, but I’m sure you guys will do great (as I support from a distance)!
Aside from the typical S.T.E.M. subjects, this question did present some surprises in terms of some of the classes respondents were fearing having to test in. Humanities-centered classes like Political Theory seemed daunting for some, while Arts classes like History of Photography concerned others. Now that I reflect on it, none of these classes really seem ‘easy’ to me, so I don’t think I can say that any of these exams will be a breeze, though I do wish these students the best of luck, and, if it’s any consolation, I’m sure they would do better than I could!
What’s your best midterm studying tip/strategy?
Studying for midterms in particular is rough for everyone. Unless you’re that perfect person that actually started studying two weeks before the exam like the professor said to. Regardless, everyone has their own way of preparing for a lengthy exam. My personal favorite, as I’ve mentioned, is finding a cute, absolutely silent study area and forcing myself to stay there until I feel prepared enough.
This sentiment was shared by many of the respondents in my Instagram poll, though there were some strategies that I hadn’t heard of. For example, one response praised study groups for their studying success. For me personally, they quite literally have never worked out well, but I’m glad they do for someone! Another respondent mentioned the whiteboard walls in ISEC, which, again, as more of a humanities girl myself, I can’t say I’ve ever utilized, but I do hope it works well for whoever does!
What’s your favorite study snack?
To be completely transparent with you all, I was the most excited for the responses to this question. I just think it’s a fun little prompt that people can tell a lot about a person actually. For example, if you do like to munch on those sunflower seeds that we have at the campus store, I will be judging you. On the other hand, if you’re a fan of the Lay’s Dill Pickle chips, I’m an even bigger fan of you.
In a similar vein to my Dill Pickle chip obsession, one response cited Baked Lay’s (regular flavor) as their favorite study snack this midterm season. I’m going to be so honest, I am judging, but only a little bit. Do I understand the appeal of baked chips? No, I do not. But I’m so glad you found your thing. Another respondent replied with a sweet treat of…chewing gum? First of all, are you okay? But, second of all, I get it, unfortunately.
Chewing gum is a great way to distract from the task at hand, while (for what seems like not long enough, for me at least) providing a refreshing flavor of anything from wintergreen mint to strawberry kiwi. Additionally, I believe that snacking on gum (if you want to call that a snack) has been proven to support memory performance by increasing the amount of oxygen flowing to one’s brain. Increasing alertness while simultaneously decreasing stress levels, chewing gum proves its many benefits during midterm and finals season.
Whatever you’re snacking on this week, whether you take these suggestions as advice or not, enjoy what you love and remember: you can buy it from our very own campus store (shameless plug).
In conclusion, there are so many strategies and combinations of tips and tricks available to help you conquer your midterms this season. If you already have your own reliable routine, that’s great, and I hope it continues to work for you! If not, you’ve found yourself in the right place, then! I express my sincerest gratitude to those who participated in the various Instagram polls that brought this article together this week. If you didn’t get a chance to participate this week, there will be many more opportunities to join in the discussion by following our Concordiensis Instagram page, @concordiensis. Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you there!
