Midterms, midterms, midterms. This word has infamously negative connotations in any Pace students’ mind. As a freshman, I was lucky enough to never have taken midterms or finals in all of high school and even in my first semester at Pace. However, this semester most of my classes included midterms and finals in the syllabus, and an immediate wave of uneasiness rushed over me. Keeping up with regular tests, essays, and assignments is already tedious enough as is, so doing well on my midterms was something I was nervous about. Although I am only a first-time midterm taker, I believe I have come up with some reliable and effective study tips that can help anyone looking to ace their midterms! These tips and tricks helped me ace my midterms, and I even use a lot of these tips on a regular basis to do well in my classes.
1. Start Sooner
Last semester, I unfortunately fell into the grave habit of procrastinating. I’ve learned that with midterms, this is a habit that needs to be broken as soon as possible. One of the tips that helped me prepare for my midterms was starting to study for them 3 weeks in advance. At the end of each class, I would quickly look over any notes I had taken thus far and would increasingly review my notes as the midterm date approached. I found this made the task of studying less daunting, especially because building up the motivation to start is always the hardest part. Since I already had a general idea as to what I needed to review, it made it easier for me to do a more precise review on the week before my midterm. The sooner you start studying, even if it is only for 5 minutes at the end of class, can truly make all the difference!
2. Pomodoro Technique
Whenever I would scroll on TikTok (one of my unhealthiest habits), my algorithm would often put me on StudyTok. I would always see people recommending their best tips and motivational hacks for doing well in school, and I would repeatedly see the “Pomodoro Technique.” Since I was eager to do well on my midterms, and was fighting getting distracted, I decided to give it a try. It is essentially a timer interval schedule wherein you study in 25– minute-chunks, and take 5– minute breaks in between. After 3 25-minute chunks, you get a 15– minute break before continuing on with your studying. I was surprised to discover that this technique worked wonders for me! It helped keep me on track and focused on the task at hand, while still allowing me to have short/long breaks in between! This method organized my time and efficacy in a way that I would not have been able to do on my own. Additionally, I often had the timer on my laptop, which would keep me away from my distracting phone while I studied! This method is definitely one that I will continue to use for my finals and studying in general!
3. Go to Class
An unexpected component in my midterms this semester was the inclusion of class discussion questions. Across a few of my classes, I saw that some of my professors asked questions about conversations we had in class, or movies we saw, that I had not taken notes on. It made me grateful to have attended every one of my classes thus far, and it was these moments that made me realize just how important class attendance is. Going to class session is undoubtedly a necessity, but you may never know just how important that class session might be to your final grade. So, always go to class!
4. Switch up the Location
The last tip I would recommend to all Pace Students is to get out of their dorms, homes, and usual study spots and go out into the city! There are countless new places to go and try out that can help make the laborious task of studying for midterms more interesting! If you need any suggestions for study spots around the city, my column on the Herald offers great suggestions!
There are certainly an innumerable amount of study tips out there that can help students ace their midterms, and these are just a few that have worked for me so far! These tips can help students like me do well on their exams, but the important takeaway is to find what works best for you so that you can succeed in your midterms, final, and overall college experience!