Midterms and finals create some of the worst stress for students. Here are some tips to make it through both emotionally unscathed, and with your work done.
I know what you’re doing right now. You’re searching for a way to be more productive during midterms, making you feel like your Internet time is at least accomplishing something. You have to fulfill many tasks as writing a research paper, a diploma paper, or just an informative essay. It happens to everyone once in a while, where for one reason or another they just can’t do their work. Here are some suggestions for ways to improve productivity and finish your assignments without finishing yourself off too.
The way I see it, four major problems arise when the midterm time rolls around: you have no inspiration to work, you’re so fed up you never want to see another book again, you have no energy to do anything, or you have so much to do that you’re accomplishing nothing at all.
Here are some of my solutions for solving each of these issues.
A Loss of Inspiration
You’re in a class that requires inspiration and creativity on a deadline, but you’re drained. Whether it’s a painting, an essay, or a flashy website, I have your answers.
Get your creative juices flowing with similar works. As a fine arts student, I’ve learned that art begets art. If you’re writing an essay, pick up a book of essays from the library. If it’s a poem, go to a poetry reading. Go to a museum of art, or search the web for like-minded people like yourself.
Making yourself familiar with works like those you’re trying to do can be inspiring and can show you a new way to approach your work. This is something that staring at research or re-reading your piece never seems to accomplish. I like to find things as close as possible to what I’m working on. If I’m writing a history paper, I look at published history essays. If I’m writing a sci-fi screenplay, I watch sci-fi films. It can help you notice what works well in the genre and what yours might be missing.
No Energy to Do Anything
You’re exhausted, and you just woke up. You can’t accomplish anything today. I don’t mean to sound like your mother, but have you had a real meal between your frantic studying and writing papers? I often found myself locked in my room, studying for hours and it wasn’t until I was too exhausted to see straight that I realized I ate nothing but chips all day.
If you haven’t eaten anything, eat a big meal with all four food groups included. Lots of places will now deliver real food to your door, not just pizza or Chinese food. You won’t even lose any study time. If you aren’t too hungry, sushi makes a good snack, as do any fruits or vegetables. Or, order a big amount of food and have leftovers for the next day when you also don’t eat properly.
If you’re strapped for cash, go get a bag of apples and a carton of milk. It won’t break the bank, and it will still be better than snacking on junk food, ramen, and frozen pizza throughout the day.
Still, exhausted? I have a second, equally important question. Have you slept? Take a nap. Better yet, sleep the whole night. What’re a few extra hours of sleep when you’ll probably just have to re-read everything you thought you understood at 3 am anyway?
Trust me, a good night’s sleep and a few meals that have nutritional value can really invigorate a person.
“If I See Another Bloody Question…”
It happens to the best of us. Whatever we’ve been told to devote our time to is driving us nuts, to the point, we’re thinking of changing our major, or ripping up our textbooks. Before you run away to join the circus, just take some time to relax and step away from the situation.
You need to clear your mind entirely of the matter at hand, at least for a few hours. Go see a movie, play your favorite sport, or take time for a hobby, so long as it’s utterly different from your work. According to the best essay writing service Reddit, reading a good book if you’re not in the literature business is a great option. Go shopping. A few hours or a night with a significant other couldn’t hurt either.
Of course, I’ve always had one favorite to get my mind thoroughly cleared no matter what the test is on: the aquarium or zoo. I don’t know why, but taking an afternoon to gaze through the glass in wonderment at funny-looking animals always works for me. I feel like a child again as I stare eye to eye with the snakes, watch the octopus squiggle and squirm, or giggle at the giraffe’s purple tongues and silly necks.
Not only that, but I know you’re thinking you don’t have time to waste on anything other than work, but you’re wrong. A few hours to clear your head and put you back in a good mood is much more productive than staring cross-eyed at your book for hours and not reading it anyway.
There’s too Much to Do
You haven’t got one midterm, you’ve got three, plus some papers, plus an oral report. You don’t know what to do when and the confusion is stopping you from accomplishing anything.
This is a pretty easy fix: just make a list. Put the tasks that are due first at the top. If things are due around the same time, go by which is worth more in the class. Start doing that which is at the top of your priority list. If that gets too daunting and impossible, work on the second one for a little bit, and keep going down the list until everything is finished.
If you get stuck, try some of the tips in the rest of this article.