5 Tips to Get You Through Midterms
The start of the New Year is often a clean slate for many people. The semester ends soon, new classes begin, and students are (hopefully) filled with a sense of motivation to better themselves in some way. Youth Advisory Council can help!
The Youth Advisory Council , an organization run by the school health center’s own, Carol Champigny, has partnered with the Tanner Times to bring to you, our readers, bi-weekly student health and wellness columns! From anything to stress-management to physical fitness, the Student Health and Wellness column is a new, insightful way to learn new ways to stay healthy, mentally and physically, and read more about current issues that most of your peers face as well.
We all have such busy schedules and between classes, extracurriculars, jobs, and having a social life- it’s so easy to forget about taking care of yourself. Let us help you and read up on this week’s latest article!
The school year has flown by and midterm season is already upon us! Stress levels must be through the roof but it is important to remember to take care of yourself throughout the craziness of exam week. Here are some of our tips on self-care and keeping your cool for any stressful period in your life!
1. Get off your phone! - If you know that there are things you need to be doing and you’re making posts complaining about all the things you need to be doing instead, you’re not helping yourself! It’s hard, I know, and we’re all guilty, but one of the easiest things to do to get back on task is to put the phone down and open the books instead. Really great apps like Flora and Forest are super useful- and keep you on task by setting timers for how long you should stay away from other apps and distractions with little rewards as sentiments.
2. Make lists! - Having a tangible list of all the things you need to study and get done helps to make sure you’re never idle or that you don’t forget key points that you need to review. Check off everything you get done within a day and by the end of the night, you’re left with a satisfied feeling looking at a page full of checkmarks.
3. Make time for yourself! - 7 exams in 4 days is stressful for anyone, don’t forget to make the time for self-care and doing things to ease that stress. Breaks are helpful when studying for long periods, as long as those breaks don’t turn into staying on your phone for hours on end. Drink water. Don’t forget to eat. Stretch for a bit. Take a hot bath/shower. A happy body and mind is conducive to success on tests.
4. Reward yourself! - You’re working so hard and deserve to have a reward greater than a number on a paper. Make plans after testing week so you have something exciting to push you through the drudgery. Reward yourself with candy every time you finish one section of review. Having small things to give yourself as a treat helps you work towards something and gives you something to look forward too.
5. Remember it is just a test. - At the end of the day, all midterms are is a bunch of tests, not an accurate reflection of yourself or your intelligence or your worth as a person. While they are important and it’s a great thing to do well on them, it is not the end of the world if you don’t. You are so much more than the score you get on an exam and your intelligence is not reflected by whether or not you bubbled in the correct answer.
Keep all these tips in mind during testing season, and with luck and hard work, you’ll be solid. Best wishes on all your exams, and remember- should you need anyone to talk to or if you’re feeling excessively distressed- the Student Health Center is here for you and offers counseling services, as well as the school’s Guidance Counselors.
Good luck and happy (not really) midterm season!
-Audrey Gabriel