Midterms, the dreaded midterms. Nobody really wants to take them but they are there and will be there for a very long time. I will go over what midterms are like, some great study tips and how to stay sane when you have been studying all day.

We all have to take them at one point or another, the question is when should I start to study? Well first off most teachers that teach an engineering level course will allow you to bring one sheet of paper with whatever notes you would like, so take advantage of that. So when should i start to study, well usually you will be pretty busy as it is without the upcoming tests. So personally I start my studying the day before the review class. Yes teachers hold a review class. This way I know what is going to be covered in class and I will know what I have missed. Sure the leaves only about 3 days of studying that should be plenty of time if you have finished most of your homework.

Depending on your major you will need different study techniques. For example if you are taking a physiques exam, you should probably understand: 1. The equations and 2. When to use them. Where as for an English exam you will need to understand the rules of writing or even be able to comprehend a paragraph. Furthermore taking that into account you will come to find the best ways to study by personal experience.

Some people learn visually requiring a textbook or some other kind of visual aid, others may be able to retain and comprehend the information just from class. The biggest misunderstanding I see is the difference between studying to retain versus studying to comprehend the information. There is a big difference of the two. Most of the time you should study to comprehend the information, this means understanding why, when, and what you are doing. Don’t forget to take a break and let loose every now and again, the weekends are the best time to take advantage of this. The weekends are much better after a hard week.