It’s Time to Study: Midterm Prep Tips and Tricks
By Sierra Nye
As midterms are quickly approaching, it’s time to start cramming in your studying to best prepare for each of your midterms. However, fear not! You can confidently tackle your midterms with the right study tools and resources. To help you with your task for good grades and success, I have talked to your fellow peers and favorite professors and compiled a list of the most beneficial ways to study for your classes!
Avoid Procrastination
First and foremost, procrastination is the nemesis of effective midterm preparation. It’s essential to resist the urge to delay your study sessions. Set a schedule well in advance, breaking down your study goals into manageable daily tasks. By tackling a little bit each day, you’ll avoid the last-minute cramming that can lead to stress and subpar performance. Procrastination hinders your understanding of the material and limits the time you have to utilize the aforementioned study tools effectively. So, make a conscious effort to stay on track and stick to your study plan to ensure success in your midterms.
Going to Knights Against Procrastination is one of the best ways SVU helps us achieve academic success. It is a designated time when you, among your peers, can all get together to focus on what you need to do. There are tutors and other forms of academic support and help! You have resources from different departments to help you in any way that they can! It is my best advice that you take advantage of Knights Against Procrastination!
Study Groups
Studying with peers can be immensely beneficial. Join or form study groups with classmates to discuss and review material together. Explaining concepts to others helps solidify your understanding, and you can exchange different perspectives and study techniques. Just be sure to stay focused during group sessions.
Study Guides
Study guides can help you to succeed. Professors often provide them with or suggest textbooks with chapter summaries. These guides condense complex topics into manageable sections, making it easier to focus your studying on what matters most. Additionally, study guides help you organize your notes, ensuring you cover all crucial content. You can also use this as a chance to review your textbook and the class material.
Working With Your Notes
It should’ve been in your best interest up until this point to be taking notes in your classes. If you have been doing so then there are different ways you can use your notes to your advantage.
- Reading and reviewing
- Flashcards
- Summarizing/Condensing
- Rewriting
- Self-Quizzing
Finding What Works For You
Everyone has their own ways to be productive when studying for midterms or finals. A couple of your fellow classmates gave their tips and tricks to a good study session and what works for them!
“My personal favorite way to study is with my wonderful wife…truly though, working in groups allows me to be more productive” — Brock Nye (’25, Business)
“A quizlet with a TV show in the background is what works best for me” — Jimbo (’25, Business)
“Being in a quiet place, listening to music of choice” — Rico Diego (’24, Business)
“Definitely procrastinating and messing around with friends when I should be doing homework instead” — Skyler Nelson (’24, Biochem)
“Writing things down ALWAYS helps me out! Also studying in groups and review sessions too.” — Maddy Fisher (’24, Psychology)
“I like to study in 30 minute bursts with 10 minute breaks inbetween!” — Hannah Husted (’25, Political Science)
“Honestly, just sitting down and watching a movie while I grind out homework or study. That way I can do it for hours and not get bored.” — Kedryn Chandler (’25, Business)
Advice From Our Professors
While everyone may have ways that work for them, it might be good to hear from our brilliant professors what they believe is the best way to study for any part of the year! I mean, they are the ones teaching us; they would know what is best to study for their classes. They also have been through their own schooling and know a thing to two about midterms and finals. They are wise, and it is most definitely in our best interest to hear what they have to say.
“Don’t leave it to the last minute, students tend to study based on due dates.” — Professor Covington (Marketing)
“For me, the best way to study both back in the day and now for my tests would be, find out as much as you can about what is actually on the test and so what would be most useful to spend your time doing. For example, in my PHI 210 course, it wouldn’t help to go over the class readings again, and I tell students to focus on their in-class notes and the class slides. But if you didn’t know that should be your focus, you’d spend time looking at things that aren’t actually going to help.” — Professor Gessel (Philosophy)
Success in your midterms requires a combination of dedication and the right tools. Incorporate these study tools and techniques into your routine to maximize your chances of acing your exams. Remember that it’s never too late and DO NOT PROCRASTINATE!! Consistency and a well-structured study plan are crucial. Good luck, and may your midterms be in your favor!
