It’s that time of year again. Vacation is over, school has started, and midterms are right around the corner. These dreaded tests are coming up fast and students may be feeling overwhelmed and not prepared. Here are ten things you should know and do before going and taking your midterms!

1. Start studying a little bit each night. Cramming is not a good thing to do because; brains can only handle so much information. Therefore, studying for an hour each night is more effective than spending an entire Sunday trying to memorize EVERYTHING.
2. Make a schedule. If you know how many days you have until midterms and which classes have tests when, you can easily start studying for the classes who have tests earlier in the week. The same can be said about the tests that are farther out in the week.
3. Ask teachers questions. If there is material that comes up during a review that you are confused on, ask your teacher about it. Stay after if there is a lot that you do not understand. Being prepared is key.
4. Know what you should be studying. Many teachers give out packets that overview the topics they will be discussing (example: the Power Points in Biology). These handouts are great study guides.
5. Make studying fun. Don’t just read everything that teachers have given you over the past couple months, make it interesting so that the information sticks better. You could make flash cards, colorful pages of notes, or have someone quiz you.
6. Avoid the stress. Do not stress about the midterms, they only count for ten percent of the years overall grade. Studying and confidence in the subject matter will get you through the midterms.
7. Physically prepare. Get a good night of sleep the night before so that your body is ready for a taking the test. Eating a well-balanced breakfast is another good way to prepare your body for the test.
8. Think happy thoughts. Thinking positively about the test, if you can visualize yourself doing well on the test you are more likely to do better on it. Negative thoughts will get you nowhere.
9. Remain calm. Many people get test anxiety and then are unable to remember what they have studied. Before starting the test, take a few deep breaths and relax your body, this will help you from getting tense during the test.
10. Be confident. Go into the midterms with confidence in what you have been studying!