7 Simple Tips to Help you Study for Midterms and Finals

Midterms are slowly approaching. That’s usually my cue to start locking down on my study tactics. In a competitive academic environment, advantages are essential for good grades.

Here are some brief and simple study tactics to help you accomplish your goals this semester that has proven to help me in the past year.

1. Voice notes.

Once a week for about 14 weeks for 5 separate courses (or however many you have), publish one recap voice video of course concepts learned that week. Record mini soundbites that focus on explaining what you learned that week.

I’m talking course concepts, important examples, explanations, whatever you remember. Make it a conversation with your future self. Think of it as clutching up for your boy before his midterm or his final. If you can explain it then you understand it.

That’s up to 70 mini podcasts to help you review during study sessions for a final exam. The best part is at that point, all that is required of you is to sit back, relax, and press play.

2. Do your homework.

Prioritizing homework and course readings is crucial in understanding it. Luckily for me, I love reading and things tend to stick in my brain when I read them. If you struggle with this, try Speechify or another app that reads out what you must learn.

An old comedian from back home once told me, you’re only as good as your prep.

People make it look easy because they’ve put in the hours. If you come to class prepared, the concepts your profs go over will stick much more easily.

3. Set early deadlines.

Any assignments coming up should be finished and sent in at least a couple of days in advance. This is more psychological than anything else. By sending it in early you’re allowing yourself to feel on top of everything and you decompress before jumping into the next project.

The best part is when you want to go out or when you suddenly get sick, you don’t feel overwhelmed because things are on track. Personally, I find that when I finish early, I feel good. I then finish more stuff early, which then leads to me feeling even better. It’s the process of hijacking a positive dopamine loophole.

Basically, it’s like free drugs.

4. Take good notes.

Zoom class has started (thank God those are ending at my university). Staying awake means getting creative in notetaking yet remaining consistent in the task. Quality over quantity every time. Quality means intentional notes with highlights, labels, descriptive sketches, and colour. Something that would make your sister in 3rd grade proud.

5. Put it on your calendar.

Time management is key here. By putting study or homework times on your calendar, you are embracing the need to follow a strict routine that is bettering you in every way. This allows you to have time for working out, family and friend phone calls, social time, etc. It’s utilizing a powerful tool that guides your energy throughout the day.

6. Activate Pomodoro Timer.

If the need to go on Instagram nags at you or the itch to start a new episode of Euphoria harasses you then google Pomodoro timer and press start. By getting started you’ve defeated the worst obstacle, procrastination.

On the good days, I always find myself going way over the suggested work time, and on the rare bad days, I just do 25 minutes of work, take the 5-minute break, and repeat. All to say, this works.

7. Geek out during dinner with friends.

Nothing is better than an unintentional study session. By enjoying being with friends who are passionate about learning, it makes it possible to have positive and reinforcing group discussions during mealtimes.

Talk about homework or course concepts. Challenge each other’s views. This way you find your blind spots much quicker, and you get to make fun of your profs at the same time. It’s a win-win.

I wrote this for me as much if not more than for you! It’s a reminder for me to stay on track as well as an accountability measure so I don’t slack off. Hope you learned something new and feel free to reach out to let me know what you thought.