With midterm season upon us, I find that I've been immersing myself in my studies, cramming information into my head. For the past couple of days, it has been definition after definition and concept after concept, with no in between. To be quite honest, I'm tired and my head hurts. All of this studying is just making me exhausted. My brain and mind are going into overdrive, working hard to make sure that every little thing that I've been studying stays in my brain.
Correction: that all details remain in my working memory through maintenance rehearsal and recollection (sorry, just had a psychology exam).
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But, see what I mean? All I can think about are my exams and anything that pertains to them. Right now, I've lost focus on all other aspects of my life.
Yet, at the same time, I feel too relaxed. I feel as though I have not been studying enough, when, in reality, I spend most nights staying up late doing exactly that. At this point, it feels like nothing will help and I'm destined to fail. All these hours I've been putting into studying just seem pointless. And I'm not going to lie, I've struggled with this for as long as I can remember. School does not come easily to me, particularly math and science courses, and oftentimes I found myself shedding multiple tears over a chapter or unit I cannot understand.
I'm sure that many of you reading this are looking for that break from college, a small moment in time where you're not overwhelmed by assignments and exams. As you can tell, you're not alone. Everyone struggles, even the geniuses in every class or major. There are probably hundreds of ways to ensure that your college life is balanced and not overly taxing, but here's how I do it (or at least try to).
It's all about ensuring that you don't overload your brain with too much information at one time. Using this method, cramming everything you need to know all at once, you're only doing yourself a disservice. The best way that I know how is to work for a period of time, say 45 minutes to an hour, and then give my brain a break. This break, which lasts for twenty minutes max, provides me with the opportunity to mentally process everything I have studied so far, as well as prepare for the next bout of definitions and ideas. I also strive to make sure that I don't spend every single day doing this, keeping in mind that I need to make time for friends and fun in general. This balance between my academic and social lives is what keeps me going and from burning out. In my case, it's all about knowing when enough is enough.
Now, I'm not saying that this will work for everyone. Each and every individual studies differently, working with what is best for them. Now, it's good to know how to study and prepare for each exam or lecture, but it is even more important to understand that one bad grade isn't the end of the world. Like I said, I spent countless nights growing up slaving over information I simply could not comprehend and look where I ended up? I still managed to get into Rutgers. However, college is a little bit different with the workload being much more robust and the information generally presented in long lectures that can be boring. But regardless, the same studying strategies still stand or can even be altered to meet whatever needs you may have. Just know, it's OK to be confused and it's OK to need help. You have amazing opportunities here at Rutgers and they won't go away because of how much you struggle with one or two concepts.
Your mental health and sanity are far more important than making sure that the capital of Yugoslavia is engrained in your memory. The hard work you put into studying needs to be supplemented with rest and relaxation. And I know for a fact, that this applies to every. So, I leave you with one last message: good luck to everyone on their midterms! I'm sure you will all do swell. And if you've taken them already, I'm sure you did an exceptional job.
