Midterms are Here!!

It has been so busy, that time seems to have flown by.  The middle of the semester is upon us and we are barreling headlong for the holiday season.  I hate to put the breaks on, but some of us may need more time and are not quite ready for a thanksgiving feast or the holiday shopping frenzy.  Reality is here, right in front of us, staring right back at us: midterms!

This term evokes a variety of different emotions.  According to the dictionary, it has several meanings: a) the middle or halfway point in a school or office term. b) an examination or series of examinations at the middle of a term.

If we are talking about Capitol Hill - Ugh!, Then we think of gridlock, furlough, nastiness, un-compromising, and just plain stuck!!  It is a good thing college midterms do not conjure the same emotions. (If they do, the Counseling Center is a good place to visit. No Kidding, Seriously!!)

With school midterms, come the pressure of wanting to do well and establishing yourself for the semester. Some steps to help you along the way are: study time & study skills.
Study Time:
Make every effort to spend quality time in your studies.  Not just 1 hour, but 3-4 hours of in-depth review and  close examination of the subject matter.  It does pay off.  If you are a full time student with a minimum of 12 credits per semester, you should spend approximately 24 hours per week of study outside of the classroom.  Honestly, not too many students devote this generous amount to their studies.
Study Skills:
Another problem that may arise is difficulty in time management, or how to best study (approach the materials) for the Intro to chemistry, Intro to writing, etc...  Most of these courses would suggest and recommend different approaches to learn this information. Our institution has several resources that can help you before the exams.  Take the time to visit and utilize them: The learning resource center, The math help room, The writing center, and also let's not forget professor's office hours (check course syllabus for time and location).  Be well prepared, and give it your best.

If you don't do as well as you hoped, analyze what may have gone wrong.  You can change the outcome for the future: get additional help from your classmates and professors, contact the learning resource center specialists, and start studying and planning earlier. The responsibility is on you.  Good luck, hang in there!