How do I prepare for Mid-Terms?

Many of you are right at the mid-point of your semester and having several exams looming.  How should you go about preparing for these exams?

If you have at least a couple of weeks to prepare:

• Start reviewing your class notes.  Set aside 15 minutes or more each day to review your lecture notes.  This will allow you to study small sections of material, which are easier to remember.
• Reread key sections of your textbook.  How do you know which sections are important?  Typically, your professor will emphasize the material s/he feels is important in class and on quizzes. 
• Create study guides.  These are short documents that list all the major concepts/points that you might be asked about on your exam.
• Create your own quizzes.  This will force you to think like your professor and will help you to anticipate the types of questions that may be asked.

If you’re short on time:

• Be prepared to give up your free time.  The less time you have to prepare, the more cramming you will have to do.
• Avoid “marathon stretches” of studying, if possible.  Limit yourself to a couple of hour blocks of studying, followed by breaks.  This will help you to retain the information you study.
• Find a good study partner.  I’m not talking about the cute guy/girl in your class that takes your mind off your work.  Instead, seek out the student who stays on top of his/her work (like you do!) and see if s/he would be willing to split the study materials with you.  That way, you will only be responsible for studying half the material, and your study buddy will teach you the other half of the material.  Don’t forget to return the favor – a study group only works when each member carries his or her own weight!
• Attend study sessions, if offered.  The TAs who lead these sessions often are “in the know” about what will be on the exam.
• Get plenty of rest, and eat right. No one studies well when tired or hungry. Be sure to take care of your body while filling your mind with knowledge.
• Do what you can, and try not to worry about the rest.  No exam is worth excessive amounts of stress.  Sometimes, limited time will only allow you to cover a portion of the material you need to know.  While this is not the ideal circumstance for your grade, it should teach you a valuable lesson – give yourself more time to study for big exams!