Stacks of notebooks, half-finished study guides and open laptops fill a student’s desk as they rush to review months of material in just a few days. They feel the pressure of midterm season and stay up late to study. With the lack of rest and rushing, they feel distracted on test day.
Many faculty and upperclassmen have seen this cycle play out year after year. Multiple students said that while midterms can be stressful for freshmen, they are manageable. According to staff at the high school, with strategies like time management, distraction reduction and asking for help, students can set themselves up for a successful midterm season.
Librarian Bridget Knightly said she observed a range of emotions from students during midterms season, particularly in the days leading up to exams.
“[Students] get very stressed before midterms, often because they haven’t kept up with their work, or they have test anxiety,” Knightly said. “They come [to the library] and we try to calm them. Afterward, they’re either excited about their grades or really disappointed.”
Despite the anxiety surrounding midterms, administrators say the exams themselves are often not as different from regular assessments as freshmen expect. Coordinator of Guidance Alexia Thomas said that while midterms may feel more formal, they usually reflect material and formats students have already encountered.
“It’s not that different from the regular tests they take throughout the year,” Thomas said. “There’s a lot of pressure put on it, but there doesn’t need to be.”
Junior David Liao said that midterms aren’t worth that much more than regular tests in final grade weightings and their biggest difference is the structure.
“You’ll recover from losing 5 or 10 points. You won’t recover from putting immense stress and pressure on yourself, or studying into the night, cutting into sleep,” Liao said.
Multiple faculty members emphasized that preparation during midterm season should go beyond just reviewing content. Associate Dean Jenny Longmire said that health and self-care are important and play a major role in performance.
“Please get good sleep every night, eat well and try to exercise. You want to make sure you are physically and mentally prepared along with knowing the material,” Longmire said.
Students and teachers said that it is important to utilize resources provided by teachers in preparation for midterms. Thomas said that freshmen teachers do a good job preparing students for midyears and explaining what the test will be like.
“Teachers do review in classes the week before,” Thomas said. “Some of it is just thinking about a study schedule and plan. The more teachers talk with students about what it’s like, what it is, previewing it, understanding the schedule, the more you know what you’re walking into, the better you feel.”
Many teachers offer office hours before exams and can answer any lingering questions from students. According to Longmire, teachers are happy to help students prepare and shouldn’t hesitate to reach out.
“Be sure you start studying early and take advantage of the help centers and any other opportunities to prepare with your teachers,” Longmire said.
Upperclassmen pointed to organization and planning as key strategies for managing the workload. Junior Amy Ma said that staying organized and having a solid plan has helped her prepare for midterms more effectively.
“I know a lot of people say this, but really don’t procrastinate,” Ma said. “If you have trouble staying on your phone, I find that putting it in a different room works well. Giving yourself a reality check is also helpful too.”
Knightly said many students seem stressed because of the distractions around them.
“If they put away their telephones while studying, it would be a huge help so they’re not distracted,” Knightly said. “There are too many distractions. Asking for help is important.”
In addition to focus, students emphasized the importance of rest. Senior Lucia Oft said that taking breaks can be helpful and make studying feel more manageable.
“It’s okay to take study breaks,” Oft said. “Being able to have about an hour to yourself will also help you mentally prepare, do something you love or something you find calming.”
Associate Dean Summer Williams said that planning and staying organized helps students succeed in midterms. She sees a tendency to procrastinate and believes that students can be more successful if they don’t wait to start preparing.
“Start studying early. As soon as your teachers give you a hint of what will be on the exam, it’s your opportunity to get started,” Williams said.
According to Williams, both students and faculty acknowledge that midterms can seem overwhelming, but there are many ways to succeed.
“Midyears are an important high school milestone,” Williams said. “Meet the moment by bringing your best self to it. You will thank yourself later.”
According to Junior Evelyn Kosa, freshmen shouldn’t excessively stress about midterms.
“Obviously do your best and study well, but at the end of the day the grades you get on freshman year midterms will not define your future,” Kosa said. “If it doesn’t go as well as you had hoped, it will not be the end of the world, so don’t let the stress of high school consume your life.”
