How to Start Prepping for Your Midterms Early
It’s never too early to start prepping for your midterms. Gaining a head start will mean you’re less likely to cram the night before — a practice that tends to be far less effective than spreading out your study time over several weeks. In fact, you may even get a decent night’s sleep before a big test, which could boost your grade further still. Here’s how you can get a jump start on these important exams as they approach.
1. Reorganize Your Study Materials
Make it easy to find exactly what you need when you sit down to study by creating a system to organize all your study materials. Include your notes, handouts from your professors, and the assignments you’ve completed so far this semester. Then, use these materials to figure out what your exams are likely to cover. Finally, create an outline of what you’ll need to study to ensure all this knowledge is fresh in your mind.
2. Create a Study Schedule
Use a planner to decide when you’ll study for each midterm and what exactly you’ll cover. Figure out how long you can stay focused in one sitting and include short breaks in between study sessions. If you stick to your schedule, you’ll be fully prepared when your midterms arrive, which will minimize stress. However, you will need to ensure you do keep to your schedule and avoid procrastination.
3. Form Study Groups
If you struggle with motivation, studying in a group can be beneficial. This is also useful if there are some concepts you’re finding difficult to understand — other students may be able to explain them in a way that makes sense to you. Bear in mind that you need to choose your study groups wisely, since sessions that devolve into strictly socializing are a waste of your valuable time. Set rules for your group and focus on activities like reading together or quizzing each other with flashcards.
4. Visit Your Professors
Another way to clear up any doubts before your midterms is to talk to your professors. This is a great opportunity to ask about any mistakes you made in assignments and how to avoid doing the same in your midterms. Just make sure you take advantage of office hours long before your midterms to give yourself plenty of time to resolve any issues.
5. Reward Yourself
Achieving the grade you want is a reward in itself, but you deserve more for all your hard work. Come up with some ideas for prizes for each of your midterms — perhaps based on how well you do or how difficult the class is. Prizes could be something you’ve wanted to buy for a while or a treat like a meal at your favourite restaurant. It’s worth writing down these prizes on a piece of paper and sticking the note above your desk where you can look at it whenever you need an extra incentive to buckle down.
The right housing can make a big difference to how well you’re able to prepare for your midterms. For Carleton University off-campus housing, you’ll find the ultimate student community at The Revalie. From private study areas to The Studio — a dedicated space where you can work on media projects — living at The Revalie will transform your student experience. Join our VIP list for updates and special offers.