The fall semester is always a struggle. It’s still hot outside when classes start, so getting into an academic state of mind when it feels like summer seems nearly impossible.
Especially in college. We (as well as society) seem to be under the impression that college students are only capable of doing two things:
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Tyrion Lannister said it best.
As the weeks go by and while you’re leisurely trying to “get back into the swing of things” you realize that you’re not really sure if you’ve been really learning anything. You wonder if maybe your procrastination and seasonal distractions have been preventing you from getting the most of your education.
Then something frightening happens. Just as you’ve decided that you’re for sure going to start buckling down tomorrow, you look at your calendar and realize that you’ve officially run out of time to wait until tomorrow.
It’s late September. All of a sudden you’ve reached the fun period of the semester where it seems every week you have something major scheduled. We call this hell period of academic stress “Midterms.”
You’re hit with projects, exams, and papers. You’ve spent so much time in the library that you don’t remember where you live anymore. You’ve considered and experimented with a countless forms of caffeine to ensure productivity. The only reason why you know what day it is, is because of your class schedule, and even then you’re less than certain.
It’s times like these that we can look at the TV series Game of Thrones to remind ourselves that all is not lost; this is just the way things are.
When you first realize that midterms are coming up...
But your first reaction is straight-up denial.
Until you finally accept the reality of the situation so you start preparing for the inevitable.
Of course, you're trying to make the most out of your review session but people keep asking your professor stupid questions.
When your project group members talk about how much work they contributed:
And you realize what percentage of your grade comes from your exams/projects.
Then you're trying to study but your friends are being loud and turning up without you.
When you walk into the library and see other students who look like they have been camped out there for days...
And then you realize that you're getting ready to do the same thing...
Then the clock strikes 3am and you notice that you're the only one left on your floor.
Until you look at the clock and realize that you don't have enough time to sleep AND make it to your exam.
When you've spent so much time studying that everything becomes funny and you've slightly lost your sanity.
Then your professor starts passing out the exams.
When you didn't do too hot on the exam, but the curve worked out in your favor.
When you don't do too hot on the exam, and you thought you nailed it.
When you're one point away from a higher letter grade and you go to your professor in the hopes that he'll give you the benefit of the doubt.
So you finally make it home after your last midterm
And you can celebrate the end of the terror
That is until, finals sneak up on you...
So we may not have all the answers, but we sure as hell try.
