5 things to do when you have the midterm blues

Photo Illustration by Alaina Burris

So, your midterm grades finally came out. You weren’t really sure what you had in some of your classes up to this point, but you definitely thought they were better than that. Some of you have to go to study hall now, others have to face figuring out how to fix their grades in order to maintain their scholarships. 

We’ve all been there at some point, not really knowing what to do next because we feel so defeated. So what do you do when you feel defeated after a couple of bad grades? Here are a few ideas to help you get out of a slump and bump your grades up before finals. 

1. Use a planner
   Yeah, planners seem kind of lame. Who would want to waste $10 (sometimes more) on a calendar that you can write out your whole schedule in, countdown to your due dates and always know exactly how much time you have left to do something? Yeah, that was sarcastic. Planners are very helpful, especially when balancing school and athletic activities. 

2. Make use of study rooms
   Study rooms are everywhere on campus and they’re there for a reason: to give you a space to study outside of your room. Later at night, quite a few of them are in use, but don’t let that stop you. Every dorm has at least one and the library has quite a few. Your room has distractions that can prevent you from getting work done, and even though study rooms can have distractions, you’re less likely to get distracted there. 

3. Reward yourself for studying or completing assignments
   This might seem childish, but it will help you. Rewarding yourself with an extra episode of your favorite show, another piece of candy or allowing yourself to go out for ice cream is great motivation for wanting to get things done. Rewards almost always ensure you’ll complete your task or at least attempt to.  

4. Work in a study group
   Depending on your preference, working with others can be helpful. Sometimes the things you’re confused on, someone else could completely understand, and vice versa. Working with others can also help you complete assignments faster, but don’t let “working with others” and “cheating” intermingle with one another. There really is a difference which reflects in your grades.   

5. Get out of bed
   Staying in bed is going to make you sadder than you already are. If you’re upset about your grades, don’t mope around and stay in bed to let them get worse. Go out and have fun with your friends; whether that means watching a movie or going to get food, you need to have some fun. Yes, grades are important, but your mental health is just as important, so don’t waste time as a lump in your bed and go out and make memories. 

Midterms are stressful, everyone deals with it at one time or another. However, don’t let them get you down; push through it and put up a fight all the way through finals, because your final grade is what matters in the end.