Students prepare for fall midterms

Midterms are a reminder that students are already halfway through the semester and that much closer to finals week.

The stress of midterm tests add to that of classes, homework and extracurricular activities, and every student has their own way of dealing with it.

First-year Andrew Crawford said he studies harder for classes and works harder at getting homework done earlier.

“I’m fine now, but I’ll be stressed out (this) week when I have tests to study for,” Crawford said.

Crawford deals with the stress by changing his study location and focusing in on his study habits.

“I go on the second floor (of the) library and sit in one of the booths with headphones in and don’t think about anything else,” he said. “I just do homework until the stress goes away or maybe get a massage from someone on my floor.”

Michelle Van Maanen, department chair of the Media & Journalism department, is an advocate for students creating their own study guides, even if they’ve already been given one by the teacher. This helps students think about and remember the type of questions or issues that are going to be covered, she said.

“Study in different locations,” Van Maanen said. “For instance, if you’re preparing for a midterm, it’s a good idea to spend time studying in the library, part of the time in your dorm or apartment and maybe part of the time studying in the MUC pit lounge.”

Van Maanen said studying like this leads to better retention of information in the long run.

Nick Tacheny, another first-year, is learning how to deal with midterm stress for the first time.

“I ignore it and pretend it’s not there,” Tacheny said. “It goes away after a while.”

Unlike Crawford, who has three midterms, Tacheny has just one midterm in sociology. His study habits differ from Crawford’s.

“I wait until the last minute, then I cram,” Tacheny said. “It works well enough, I think, since I’m not failing any classes yet.”

While cramming seems to work for Tacheny, Van Maanen said cramming usually is much more effective when you’ve had experience with the subject material you’re cramming for.

First-years are not the only ones subject to the stress of midterms. Even upperclassmen, despite knowing what to expect, can suffer from the stress and turmoil.

For junior Kevin Styles, who plans to go into law, midterms are a hectic time for him.

“I usually spend about two to three hours a night studying,” he said.

Midterm projects, papers and tests arise at different times depending on the class, throughout a two-week time period.

Styles said his midterms have been a breeze so far.

“They’re pretty easy,” he said. “I haven’t had anything hard yet.”

While Crawford does his homework until the stress is gone and Tacheny ignores the stress until it goes away, Styles is old enough to drink, so he has it a bit easier when it’s time to deal with stress.

“I have a drink or two to help unwind when things get too stressful,” Styles said.

Van Maanen said the “old standbys” of eating right and getting a good night’s rest hold true when preparing for exams, along with trusting one’s gut.

“When you take the exam, trust yourself, especially if it’s true/false or multiple choice,” Van Maanen said. “Usually your first impression is the right one.”

(Photo: First-year Andrew Crawford has three midterms he has to study for. To deal with the stress of studying, Crawford changes locations frequently. Katia Duszenko / The Volante)