Let’s be honest: I am pretty sure that nobody — probably not even professors — enjoys giving or taking midterms. Midterms are stressful. Personally, I wish I never had to take one again.
However, they do bring some benefits that possibly even overpower the immense amount of dread they create.
Midterms allow students and professors to assess progress in the course. If every student happens to fail the midterm, then the professor will know that something needs to change. Though, if the class average is rather high and a student does poorly, they will also realize that something needs to change before finals hit. More positively, if a student does well, then they know to keep up with the same habits.
On that note, midterms can help build better study habits. I know that they count for a huge portion of a course’s final grade, but try thinking of midterms as a practice final. Figuring out the way you retain information best can help alleviate stress when the much larger exams at the end of the semester come around. Not to mention, midterms also force students to review the content of the course midway through the semester. This way, you can make sure that you are actually learning something. If your finals are not cumulative, then you can thank midterms for that! However, if they are, then you have already heavily studied (and hopefully now understand) half of the content of the course and will have to review less in December.
Productivity can also increase as a result of midterms. Going into the school year, September can often feel light in terms of work, with reality setting in during exam season in October. College is supposed to be fun, but you have to remember why you are here in the first place: to learn.
Midterms place pressure on students to put time and effort into their studies, reminding them of the hard work that is necessary to succeed in school and through a career. Exams halfway through the semester can be a wake-up call for students who need it.
Rather than letting midterms hang over your head, take full advantage of them. Use this as a time of self-improvement and a time to stop being hard on yourself. There is only so much you can do to prepare if you have been taking the correct steps all along. If a midterm does not go your way, just focus on doing better next time. Maybe these exams are what you need to finally step foot in the Academic Achievement Center or to attend a supplemental instruction session. There is no shame in asking for help, and if it takes an exam to show you this, maybe it was worth it.
I am fully aware that a test may not always be the best measure of intelligence and comprehension, but in lecture halls consisting of three hundred plus students, what other options do we have? The day somebody answers that question will be a wonderful one, but until then, midterms are all that we have got.
October, with all its festivities, may not be the ideal time of year to be studying for exams, though the timing has some benefits. My advice is to go grab a pumpkin spice latte and get to work in the library. Maybe you can even try to romanticize studying! Just remember, once finished you will feel so accomplished and finally be able to binge your favorite Halloween movies. Good luck!