With exams quickly approaching, it can be easy to become overwhelmed. For methods to help ease worries and set yourself up for success, continue reading below! 

Get Organized! 

Organization is without a doubt one of the key contributors to success. To ensure a successful exam week, pack everything you need to bring to exams the night before. This is done so that you are not rushing around in the morning. Also, do not take any unnecessary items, and charge your laptop ahead of time too, as it will be used during most exams. Being organized for exams means more than just organizing items for testing; organization also applies to the studying part of midterm preparation. Before studying, organize your study materials! Clean out/organize binders and folders, keep the materials that would be most useful for midterm preparation, and set aside the ones that are irrelevant to material that will be on the test. If it helps, create packets of any papers that you know would be useful for studying, so that you have all of your information in one place. 

Study Tips! 

Do not wait until the day before testing to review a whole semester of content (unless you are very confident that you know everything you need to know already). If you need to review everything learned thus far, break up all the content into smaller sections, and go over them little by little each day. This is especially helpful if what you have learned is already broken up into units, because you can then choose a unit or two to focus on daily. As you look over your study materials, go back and highlight important terms, concepts, and equations. Rate each concept based on how confident you feel with your understanding of it, and if you find that you are receiving extremely low ratings on some of them, place emphasis on reviewing those. 

Besides the materials given to you, try to take some time to find outside reliable sources to assist in the studying process. For example, there are numerous study sites out there designed to help you succeed. Many of them quiz you on your selected topic and provide you with an idea of what to work on.  

To learn more about some of these sites, click here: https://thedakotaplanet.com/18190/features/5-helpful-study-sites/ 

And for additional tips for studying, click here: https://thedakotaplanet.com/17285/features/four-key-study-tips/ 

Form a Study Group! 

Studying in a group is a great way to determine what you know, and each member’s own unique perspective and understanding allows everyone to learn from each other. First, choose the group you want to study with. It can be big or small, but no matter what, try to choose those who will not easily distract you and lead you off-topic (which can be very hard). Try to create a group who you know will stay focused on the task at-hand, and participate in review discussions. Next, choose your study location! Meeting at yours or a friend’s house is a common and convenient place to study, but another great option are library study rooms. The Clinton Macomb Public Library is one of the local libraries that provide this service. The rooms are usually available for a few hours at a time and are typically booked for 1-8 people to use.  

For more information on study rooms: https://cmpl.org/meeting-study-rooms/ 

Ask Questions! 

If you find yourself struggling with a particular concept while studying, or have any questions, do not hesitate to ask your teachers, or perhaps a friend in the same class for help! There is no such thing as a bad question, and it is especially important that you are as informed as possible for your tests. 

Take a Break! 

While the days leading up to midterms should have a focus on studying, that should not be the only thing consuming your day! Be sure to set aside some quality time to relax your brain after all your hard work. Hang out with friends, go on a walk, read a book—do whatever you need to do to give your mind a much-needed respite. After all, your brain needs balance in order to perform its best. 

All in all, do whatever you need to do to ensure a successful midterm week. In the end, you are the one that knows how to create a study plan that fits your needs. Don’t pull an all-nighter trying to cram for the exam and try to get quality sleep. Most importantly, remember to try your best, and that you are capable of succeeding. Good luck! 

Exam Schedule: https://thedakotaplanet.com/19679/news/midterm-exams-schedule/