Jitters for your first college exam?

It wouldn’t be college without midterms and finals. We probably spend most of our time trying to study, instead of actually having a systematic way of doing it. Don’t worry, eventually you’ll find your groove because your grades depends on it.

It’s okay to feel nervous about your first college exam, or any tests for that matter. What makes it extremely difficult is not the material itself, but the immense distractions around you and learning how to drown them out. It’s so easy to dismiss a study session when one of your friends invited you to a sweet party, or when your dorm mates are being entertaining, or binge-watch the latest shows on Netflix.

For tackling lecture material, there are resources that can help you. The main one, which I never took advantage of and totally should when I was in college, was office hours. You’ll have an opportunity to discuss the material in a way you can’t during lecture. 

Last, but not certainly least, you have to find a way to get a decent amount of sleep to help you consolidate and implant that information into your brain. I remember cramming for a test the night before, and when I read the first question of the exam, I immediately knew I wasn’t going to do so well, because everything went blank in my head due to lack of sleep and preparation. 

College exams are just like any other test you’ve taken before. The only difference now is you have to make yourself accountable for it. Good luck out there!