Opinion: It’s Time To Embrace Midterm Exams
As much as you may hate them, your midterm exams can help you in the long run.
(Illustration by Aaliya Luthra via Washington Square News)
by Molly Koch
This story was originally published on New York University’s Washington Square News.
It’s your first year at college, and wow, this is easy. A five-question problem set here, a discussion board post there — you’ve just been breezing through your classes, right?
Maybe it’s just me, but this past month and a half has felt like some prestigious sleep-away camp — not for long. NYU has officially entered its dreaded midterm season and your workload has quickly picked up. If you’re unlucky — which most students are — you’ll have several assignments due on the same day as your big exam. You may be asking yourself why midterms are even necessary. But I can promise you that they’re essential and more beneficial than you might think.
Steinhardt first-year Jasley de Jesus explained that midterm exams stress her out, but help her form effective study methods.
“My upcoming midterm exams make me work harder on studying to understand the concepts,” she said.
A rule of thumb for college studying suggests that students should allocate two to three hours for every hour spent in class instruction. However, if it’s your first year in college, maybe you haven’t been studying on a daily basis before. Midterms can get you into that routine by helping you assess study habits and even prompting you to find new ones.
Read the rest of the story at Washington Square News.