5 Ways to Prep for Midterms

By Sarah Cruz 

In terms of preparing for midterms, most people may not even know where to start. They need guidance in how to get ready for midterms in the most efficient way possible, so here are five easy ways to prepare for midterms.
 
One way to prepare for midterms is study, study, study.  Whether you are looking through old notes or studying with a group of friends, it is always a good idea to know all the information you need. But, don’t study too much at once.
 
As student Mishti Mishra suggests, “Study a bit per day instead of cramming 6 hours of studying [into] the night before.” Pacing is a great idea because stress is the most important thing to avoid and this is the most effective way to do just that. 
 
When looking through old notes you took earlier in the year, you may feel overwhelmed by the volume of information. Therefore, condensing notes or information from textbooks is the way to go.
 
The best way to organize notes is by making notecards and study guides. This way, you can extract all key facts or ideas instead of looking at tons of pages of notes without retaining much of what you read.
 
Also, color coding or highlighting notes is another way to organize ideas as best you can because you reinforce crucial terms or definitions when doing so. 
 
Another way to prepare is by using your resources. When teachers give out any sort of material or practice for the midterms, they are giving it as a way to help you succeed in the tests to come. So, use it to your advantage.
 
Also, there are websites out there, such as Quizlet.com, to help make the process of studying easier. As student Dara Cohen states, “Making quizlets, or at least using quizlets is helpful because a lot of fellow classmates or teachers make them for students to use.” 
 
On Tuesdays and Thursdays after school, most teachers offer clinic for students who need help in a certain subject. So, this is another useful way to get help if you are struggling in any sort of area that is on the midterms.
 
As student Jess Yuan says, “I reviewed my notes every night for the week leading up to the midterms. If I had questions, I made sure to ask my teacher in class or during clinic.” 
 
Lastly, getting much needed rest or sleep is a very important way to get ready for midterms. Most people don’t think about how much sleep they need, but the National Sleep Foundation identified that only 15% of teenagers sleep a healthy amount of time each school night. Therefore, try not to stay up all night studying as it will cause you to be less successful for the midterms to come. Aim for at least seven hours of sleep in order to be at your best for test time.
 
All in all, there are tons of ways to prepare for midterms, such as studying, getting enough rest, or making notecards. But, the most important thing is that you find the method that suits you best and makes your process easier. 

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