With midterms upon us, here are a few tips to ease your week and get the most out of your studies.
1. Plan ahead
Don't just study the night before, cramming is not the best way to go. Instead, study throughout the semester or at least a week before if you really have been slacking. Don't make studying a dreaded task, studying while on the bus, when you find yourself with free time or just bored are great opportunities to take a look at your notes. Tackle classes that you feel most confident about first. This will give you more time to focus on the obstacles in the classes you struggle most with. If you find yourself in a bind and have only one day to study, it might be best to sacrifice laundry day and lock yourself up in the library to focus.
2. Choose a suitable environment to study
Everyone has different preferences, but a good environment affects the way you study. A quiet area with natural lighting can help tremendously with staying focused. Plugging in your earphones and creating a study playlist can help prevent boredom from striking. If you prefer being outside, make sure it's not too hot or too cold, grab a blanket and lay by a tree. This can make studying feel peaceful and stress-free. Just try not to get distracted by the squirrels. Your study environment has a great effect on your concentration so if you find yourself distracted then move to a different area that best suits you.
3. Find out what kind of learner you are
It is important to know what kind of learner you are to get the most out of your study sessions. most students are visual learners while others are verbal. Once you figure out what style best suits you, then studying will be stress-free and somewhat fun. Note cards and study guides can help make studying more enjoyable. If you find yourself struggling to study alone, study groups and tutors should be easy to find around campus.
4. Use the 15MSS system
One way to use the most out of your study time is using 15MSS or 15-minute study strategy. Smart Student Secrets states that studying 15 minutes a day is good enough to turn your grades around without using up all your time. If you have more content than 15 minutes allow, then take a five-minute break after 5 minutes and repeat again. Going for a short walk, getting food or something to drink are all things you can do to recharge within that short break.
5. Healthy body is a healthy mind
Don't skip out on meals and stay hydrated. Mental health is greatly affected by your physical health. Students who skip out on meals and are dehydrated, find themselves unable to focus and tired causing more stress than needed.
Making sure to drink lots of water while studying and eating a meal when hungry can help make studying easy and keep you feeling great until your midterm. If you don't want to take the time to make a full meal, snacking throughout the day is always an option. But, try to keep your food intake healthy to give you the energy you need.
Sleep is also very important, which every college student knows how to do. So, make sure you have a good night sleep, not only before the night of your midterm but a few days before. This will keep your body and mind to perform at its best.
