There comes a point in the semester when students have settled into their classes, and are no longer stressed about things like “first day” impressions, or trying to find where their classes are located. However, something else comes up that catches students off-guard: the thought of studying and doing well on midterm exams. These types of exams can sometimes give an indication of how a student is performing in their classes, and the indication can be either positive or negative. If there is a positive indication leading up to and after a midterm, then this could lead a student to do well in the final exam. Otherwise, it could lead a student into difficulty and they might not finish their course(s) toward the end of the semester.
Midterms can be scary for those who do not study frequently enough, or miss too many classes. But, these exams can be a good thing with regards to seeing where a student is in their course(s) within the semester, and whether or not they need to study more often or need to improve their grade in some other way. One good thing about midterms is that they are not as heavily graded as final exams but are counted much more than a regular test or a quiz. However, the stress that leads up to midterms can be quite high for a student, and can lead to late-night studying and possibly doing poorly on the exams because of forgetting most of the material reviewed the night before due to a lack of sleep.
Sometimes these types of exams can have mental and physical impacts on students. The mental impact could include feeling overwhelmed and stressed while studying more than just one chapter or two, and then possibly feeling sad if they do not receive a good grade after the exam is over and graded. The physical impact could include feeling weak or tired due to a lack of sleep, which could lead to possibly coming down with a cold or even the flu.
In my experience of taking midterm exams, I have had to study hard for several days at a time before taking a test to obtain a decent grade. But, this process was not easy when dealing with other factors outside of campus. However, I have been able to pass my exams because of having confidence in myself and studying course material and notes. Any student who studies frequently and has a positive attitude should be able to have some confidence going into the classroom and take their midterms within a given time a professor allows. But, if a student feels like they might not have done their best or just feels overwhelmed, the Counseling Center is a great resource for helping to cope with a poor grade on an exam or with other issues that may or may not have to do with anything on campus. Midterms can be scary, but if students study hard and find confidence within themselves, they are able to achieve the best grade possible.