Dear college freshmen,

Midterms will not ruin your life, finals will! Just kidding, but seriously, do not freak out! As midterms are approaching at many universities across the country, while sophomores, juniors, and seniors know what it’s all about, freshmen do not. You may have taken midterms in high school and found a way to pass with an A or B without really doing any serious studying, but that is not the case in college.

First off, don’t go into panic mode. Midterms are extremely important, but don’t let them ruin your life for the next two to three weeks. When I was a freshman, I was scared to death about my first midterms in college, but after studying and putting in the work, I felt more secure. Begin your preparation for midterms by marking every exam down on a calendar that is visible so you can see and plan accordingly. For those students who aren’t that inclined to study ever, now is the time to buckle down and put in some work. Dedicate to take a few hours or so out of a day to study for one of your upcoming midterms and make a schedule. For example, studying for 45 minutes straight, take a 15 minutes break, and then get back to studying some more for around three hours.

Second, do not let studying interfere with your health and wellness! As important as it is to take the time to study and get good grades, your body and mind cannot be put aside when times like midterms or finals are approaching. It is critical to make sure you are getting the proper amount of sleep before any exam because lack of sleep will make taking that test even harder. Instead of drinking gallons of coffee to keep your body up and running, take a nap, or eat something healthy and nourishing like fruits, veggies, and protein. Studies have shown that exercise is a huge factor is reducing stress and helping people clear their minds. If you have the time, work out for 20 to 40 minutes and break away from drilling your brain with facts, formulas, dates, and vocabulary words.

Lastly, reduce any type of distractions, and yes, that includes your phone. One of the easiest ways to lose focus while studying is in a place that constantly has distracting voices, sounds, or people. For example, studying in your school cafe or in a lounge might not be the best decision to make. Try to find a quiet place like the library, a study room, or any place on campus that you know won’t provide any distractions. If you’re going to put in the effort to study and take the time to prepare, it makes no sense to jeopardize that hard work by studying in a place that could cause issues.

Midterms are a pain, and they can be very intimidating. The big thing to remember is that they are not going to determine your life or success. If you mess up one exam, don’t stress. There will be plenty of opportunities to make up for it, so while you should try your best, know that these tests will not choose your fate in life.