It’s that time of year again- with the holidays also comes midterms.  

Trying to balance semester exams with the usual schoolwork, home life, and sports can make life more stressful than anything. Here are some tips to get around that and to prevent that stress from building.

Ryan Hansen, sophomore, shares ways to study that actually work, “when you’re studying, don’t just read your notes because, for a lot of people, it’s in one ear, out the other.” He says, “Instead, find ways to practice the material because that helps you remember what you’re gonna be tested on. For instance, flashcards, crossword puzzles, stuff like that.” This can be very helpful when studying- after all, effective and enjoyable learning is better than mindlessly reading pages full of words.

It’s also important to avoid procrastination when preparing for exams. Alec Intrieri, junior, explains how doing another activity rather than schoolwork is less enjoyable because of the lingering thought that there is still work to be done. “You can do activities stress-free if you know you’re already completed with your work.” He also explains that procrastinating not only makes the assignment more stressful by “having to complete on a time crunch”, but it also “doesn’t allow for enough time to fully research the subject.”

While some of it may seem like common sense, it’s important to not let these things slip away. Remember, working smarter is always better than working harder.