Midterms are slowly but surely approaching, and hopefully everyone is taking the necessary steps to pass their exams. College midterms are familiar to returning students on campus, but brand new to freshman.

However, we at The Trailblazer staff want to give a few tips on how to prepare and get yourself mentally and physically ready to give your midterms your all. First things first, get all study materials from your instructors, read over the material and highlight any key words that will lead to a better understanding of what something is.

After receiving the study materials, copy them down on flash cards or index cards. Writing things down increases your chances of remembering the information you are studying. Copying the study material down several times will help increase your chances of not only remembering the material but passing midterms as a whole.

Keep in mind that different subjects have different study techniques. For example, for a math midterm, you would make study cards with different functions to remember, such as the function of how you solve for “x” or functions on how to solve linear equations.

With English classes you will write definitions to remember or study the different ways to cite and note information you receive from someone other than yourself, or even remembering what websites are and are not credible in order to complete a research paper.

Another important tip is to start a study group within your class. Nobody would be better to study with than people who are testing on the same material and level that you are. Study groups are very beneficial to students, because there may be a few students in the class who understand everything, and can break it down to other students, in a more student to student form.

During a meeting with Gaye Walthall, the Student Success Center Coordinator here at Vincennes University, she discussed many ways to prepare for midterms, including ways she used to study for exams when she was a student.

One tip given from Walthall was to get a good amount of sleep at night, and to “wake up at least an hour before you have to take the test, go to breakfast and prepare to tackle the day.”

When she was asked about some ways she personally prepared for midterm exams, Walthall replied, “Usually midterms are the third test of the semester, so you’ve had one or two tests to prepare for this one.”

“When I was a student we didn’t have as many tools and resources that students have today.”

One of the tools and resources Walthall referred to was YouTube, a site where people upload videos on various subjects and topics to help students understand the subject they are studying better. Another resource she referred to is Quizlet, a website used for studying material. Instructors and some students upload content such as flashcards, definitions and answers to open-ended questions to assist students.

Another tip she gave was to write very detailed notes and use bullet points. Walthall also mentioned that “the process of rewriting notes multiple times actually helps you remember the content you are studying.”

Most importantly, Walthall strongly encourages all students to use and take advantage of all the university’s tutoring labs prior to midterm exams.

The Trailblazer also recommends that all students study hard, use the resources available, and get a good amount of sleep and nutrients to keep motivated and ready for each and every exam.