As midterms approach, you may be stumped in the library asking yourself, “How the heck do I study for this test?” Whether you’re a freshman nervous for your first exam or a junior in a challenging class, learning how to study and which learning methods work best for you is hard, so here are some tips.
Finding your spot
When sitting down to study, you need to be in an environment that makes you feel ready to absorb information. Whether that means the fourth floor of Homer Babbidge Library in silence or in the middle of the Student Union with your headphones blasting, find a place that centers you with as little distractions possible.
Exploring methods
If it’s your first time really sitting down to study, you may not know which method works best for you. When learning new topics, try a mix of visual, audio and kinesthetic ways of studying to identify what really makes it “stick.” Use this to plan out the rest of your study session and do things that make sense for you.
Active Recall
If you take one thing from this piece, let it be this: Most of us study by rereading notes, highlighting textbooks or watching a lecture recording a second time. It feels productive because the material looks familiar, but familiarity isn’t the same as knowing something. That’s passive studying, and it’s the reason you can feel prepared but still blank during the exam.
Active recall means pulling information out of your brain instead of pushing it in. Close your notes and think: What are the key concepts from this chapter? How does this process work step by step? Then answer out loud or on paper before you check.
Some easy ways to start are make flashcards on Quizlet or Knowt, doing practice problems or old exam questions, making concept maps with different colors to fill in gaps or simply explaining the material out loud to a friend.
Here’s the secret to making midterms and finals season less doomed: Don’t wait until the week before the exam to meet your material again.
We all forget a huge chunk of what we learn in a matter of days if we never revisit it, which means cramming often feels like learning everything for the first time. Instead, spend just 10 to 15 minutes after each class, or that evening, going over what you covered. Skim your notes, fill in anything you missed and then (you guessed it) test yourself on the main ideas without looking.
Do this consistently and the material will build on itself instead of piling up. By the time midterms roll around, you’ll be reviewing instead of relearning and those panic sessions at the library will be less common. Future you will be so grateful even if current you is exceptionally annoyed.
Studying can be really overwhelming. But creating habits that make it even a tiny bit easier will minimize your stress so you can focus on getting good sleep and preparing smartly for your exams. Good luck this midterm season!