Ah, the Fall season in full swing, meaning we're back at it again with #sweaterweather and pumpkin spice everything. Halloween is right around the corner, festive decorations are adorning every house you pass by in the Westwood area, miniature pumpkins and candy are all on sale at your nearest Ralph's and…what's that? It's Week 5?!?
Week 5. It is a dreadful time here at UCLA because it's the dead center of the Fall quarter which means...dun dun dun...MIDTERMS!
Can we please just take a moment of silence for all our fellow UCLA students putting in the work to prepare for these horrible, gut wrenching, vicious exams?? To those affected, I am spiritually with you through all the caffeine-induced study sessions and emotional breakdowns that Week 5 will fire at you in full force. Please believe me when I say you are not alone because you and I will get through this week and each of those stress inducing 50 multiple choice questions.
To alleviate some pain of stuDYING of midterms, here are some of the ways you can make studying for them less miserable:
1. Pace yourselfÂ
GiphyIf you're a notorious procrastinator like me, you'll likely be holed up under a mountain of readings, study guides and essays literally the day before the freakin exam. It sure can be convenient to learn four weeks of material the night before, but take my advice and try to portion out everything you have to study a week (or even half a week) in advance. (Ex: Chapter 1-3 on Mon, Chapter 4-7 on Tues Chapter 7-10 on Wed, Final Review on Thurs, etc).
Tried and true: You can avoid that torturous feeling of forcing everything into your brain at once if you take everything one chapter at a time.
2. Study somewhere other than the library
Pictured: The Study at Hedrick
http://fesmag.com/features/foodservice-news/16021-college-and-university-spotlight-6-steal-worthy-campus-dining-moves
With a beautiful campus like UCLA, you're bound to see students sitting with their MacBooks on the lawn next to Janss Steps or curled up with a book in just about every nook and cranny of Royce Hall.
Sureee, the Library is a nice and quiet place to get your study on, but doesn't it boring to be like everyone else to study there? Not to mention how awful it is to run into people you know..the other day, I ran into one of my TA's while I was "studying" aka watching this RIP Vine Complication on Youtube. Talk about awkward!!!!
Study Spot Recommendations: The Study at Hedrick, Botanical Garden, Glickman Courtyard of UCLA Law School
3. Pamper yourself while studying
GiphyLadies, this one is for you! That all-nighter study sesh and the late night cravings/munchies can destroy your skin. Remember, self-care over everything.
I am ~actually~ one of those high maintenance girls who wear under eye masks or sheet masks while studying or typing away on my computer. Call me crazy, but at least I won't have raccoon-resembling under eye circles when the weekend rolls around, eh?
4. Find incentives to keep reading
GiphyIf you're taking any class that requires a textbook, there's about a little more than a million pages that will have to be read, annotated and analyzed in a matter of four weeks. Truth be told, I hate reading because I'll constantly find myself in an uphill battle of reading, falling asleep, waking up again and re-reading what I just "read".
Here's my trick:
1) Open up a pack of M&M's
2) Power through 3 pages of reading
3) Reward myself with an M&M
4) Repeat.
Soooo, if anyone asks how I managed to get through 150 pages of Plato's Republic in a single night, I will proudly dig up my empty M&M wrappers as proof.
5. Make a bucket list of things to do after your last exam
GiphyI get that feeling that while friends at other schools are planning out their Halloween costumes and attending parties in the middle of the week, you may be stuck at a desk stress-crying while cramming for an upcoming exam.
Don't lose hope, my friends. Every time you think of something you want to do but can't because of midterms, write it down. Then, as soon as you're about to walk out of your last exam, put all those tasks onto your "Weekend To-Do" List.
6. Find creative ways to stay awake
GiphyI will never ever ever forget the time when I completely passed out at my desk the night before a very important math final—and walked into the exam knowing nothing except for some material up to chapter 5.
Don't get sleepiness eat away at your consciousness. Perhaps, before you sit down to study, set a timer for each consecutive hour so you'll bolt awake every time it goes off. Why not be creative, though, and add some LOUD energetic dance music into your Spotify shuffle list?
"Wake Up Song Recommendations": Lose Yourself (Eminem), Wake Me Up (Avicii)
7. Take a walk during your study break
GiphySounds odd, I know. But, instead of immersing yourself into Instagram and Snapchat during your rewarding "study breaks", try getting onto your feet and stretching out those muscles by going for a brief walk.
By walk, I don't mean you have to go outside and pace around your neighborhood. You can just take a walk downstairs to see how your friend's holding up, to the kitchen to whip up a treat, the nearest convenient store to stock up on more Hot Cheetos and Arizona Tea.
8. Remind yourself: "You got this!"Â
GiphyThere's this one girl I sit next to in one of my lectures, who has this sticker on the face of her laptop screen that says: Girl You Got This!!!
Nothing better than a little self-encouragement, amirite? Just like Mom told you when you believe in yourself, anything is possible.
Be your own hype man during midterms week and remember that you will get through those awful 50 multiple choice questions, and all that time and dedication you put into studying is well worth it!!!
Good luck to ya'll and MAY THE CURVE BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR.
