By Leticia Medeiros
Midterms are here, and tomorrow morning at around 7:42 AM students in every class will be wishing it was not. We from The Falconer wish just as much as any other MMHS student that we could just skip this dreaded week, but sadly no amount of finger crossing and birthday wishes can make that happen, so we came up with the next best thing. If skipping midterms is not an option, we can at least help MMHS students get through it, and get through it well. This is The Falconer’s Survival Guide for Midterms:
Midterms are here, and tomorrow morning at around 7:42 AM students in every class will be wishing it was not. We from The Falconer wish just as much as any other MMHS student that we could just skip this dreaded week, but sadly no amount of finger crossing and birthday wishes can make that happen, so we came up with the next best thing. If skipping midterms is not an option, we can at least help MMHS students get through it, and get through it well. This is The Falconer’s Survival Guide for Midterms:
1. Sleep well
I know, I know, you have been procrastinating all week and now you need to study 6 months worth of work in one night, and it seems like sleeping is just not a priority. But it is. I am not saying you need to get eight full hours of sleep tonight, just don’t choose this week to pull your first all-nighter. Sleeping too much or too little is not going to help you, a steady sleep routine is the key to keep your brain and body sharp.
2. Choose your battles
Contrary to popular belief you don’t have to look over ALL of your notes to study for a midterm. Teachers give you plenty of tests before the midterm, so maybe a better tactic is a quick look back to see what you need to work on and what you know back and front. Use that to your advantage and save yourself some time. Of course, skimming through subjects you are already confident in can’t hurt, but don’t kill yourself trying to remember every single thing your class has done so far.
3. Use your time wisely
No one understands better than me that procrastination is a force of its own, but if there is a time to fight the urge to procrastinate it’s now. There is a reason there are review blocks: use them wisely. Even if your teacher is not doing anything, get together with your friends and discuss your questions, go over your notes. Sure, you can go over your notes when you get home, but the distractions are infinitely worse, and your teacher is much farther away, so you pick: sacrificing precious relaxing time at home, or studying in class which is what you’re supposed to be doing anyway?
4. Stick to what you know
Don’t choose today to test some crazy studying method you read about on Facebook. If you really want to test it out, do it for a smaller test. For your midterms, stick to what you know, look back to how you studied for previous tests and figure out what works and what doesn’t. If you’re one of the bold ones that didn’t study for previous tests, ask your friends what worked for them.
5. Take breaks
Scientific research proves that the human brain can only take in up to 45 minutes of information before it starts decreasing its capacity to absorb anything. So take a break! But that doesn’t mean get your phone and check your snapchats, especially if you’re going to have a hard time letting go of that after 5 or 10 minutes. Just get a snack, walk around the house, listen to some music and relax, but don’t forget to come back.