Midterms are almost never a happy time for students here at Mercyhurst University.

Almost every year they take you by surprise.

Why is that?

We usually have them written down in our planners, so why do we often feel unprepared for the middle of the semester?

From my own personal experience, I would say it’s because the year almost happens too fast.

As you get used to your everyday routine and start dozing off through class, you almost forget what’s coming.

And if it’s a class you are not having the easiest time with, then it can be especially stressful.

This is because whether we like it or not, midterms usually determine whether the second half of the semester is an uphill battle.

As a senior, all I can say is that I have to keep myself organized and prepared for all of the many tests.

Act like they are the finals because even if you do poorly on those, a good midterm grade can usually balance out your grades.

So obviously a lot is banking on making sure these tests go well, especially during your senior year as you’re trying to figure out your career and find a job after finishing school.

But to anybody who’s worrying about whether they’ll end up failing, don’t be too hard on yourself.

Don’t think if you can do it, think about how you can do it.

Keep calm and make sure that you go to sleep on time, especially on the day before the test.

It never hurts to get up a little early to review the material one last time before taking the test.

Often times it reminds me of stuff that I missed in previous reviews.

Some students have also gotten help from the Learning Differences office.

Others have received help with just regular note-taking.

Others benefited from being provided with a testing space outside of the classroom so as not to overwhelm them at a high-stress time.

It also helps to contact both our professors and classmates.

Visiting your professor during their office hours can do wonders to help you understand material that you may be currently struggling to understand.

Asking your classmates to study along with you is also a good strategy.

This is because some of them may understand the material even better than you.

Don’t be afraid to give assistance yourself either, it feels very gratifying to help others pass the test.

All of these ways to handle the midterms also benefit from being done early.

Waiting until the last minute to prepare for midterms is never a good idea, despite having done that several times myself.

Give yourself at least three days in advance to start studying. By that point you’ll have a good grasp of any notes or lessons that you may have missed or forgotten.

You can do it.

And once you do, you’ll be halfway done with the semester and onto Fall Break.

As I’m very stressed out about my own midterms, I can only imagine that every other student and teacher here on campus feels the same.