So, tired and have a midterm tomorrow

Man, I don't feel like reading 5 chapters. I am literally exhausted from everything. I need some pointers. There is just no way I am going to be able to retain everything in my brain being this tired. I'm going to end up falling asleep. And to top it off I can't study until the child goes to bed. No, we got play on the computer and blare movies all night.Ugh. It would be nice if I could get some consideration from these people.

It is always helpful to get a study guide from your instructor...but that is not always going to help if the information you need to study is more than you can possibly remember.

There is no easy answer to studying for a midterm...it is work no matter what you do...coffee up and prepare for a long night!

Good luck!

reply to post by jerryznv


Mine was nice enough to give me a study guide with specific things to study. But, I can't do it with all this noise going. I'm listening to a TV, singing and laughing from two annoying people. I can't think.

When I was in collage I had the tendency to wait until the night before to study. So what I did is make flashcards of every important point, question on the front, answer on the back. Then all my information was encapsulated onto 3 x 5 cards. I would go through the cards the next morning, and put away the ones I knew, thereby concentrating on the info I was having trouble with. I would go through the cards over and over up until the actual test.

Stay awake to make the cards, then go to sleep. Get up early and tackle the cards until test time.

By chunking up the info, as well as writing it down, it is easier to remember. If you don't have 3 x 5 cards, you can cut some up with paper.

It always worked like a charm for me, and I graduated with a 3.88 GPA.

You can be a procrastinator and still make good grades, you just have to be smart about it.

Good luck!

Well I am not positive on what exactly you are studying... 5 chapters means different things in different subjects. I have acquired few skills though that help me get through tedious reading. I could suggest to you sparknotes, but that is only if you are in extreme desperation. Otherwise, reading every 3-4 words or so (don't count, just train your brain) actually works very well in getting the main point on what is going on.

Also, in something like a history book or something, highlighted words are the key--read those sentences and maybe the beginning of the paragraph they come from... above all else focus. Lose yourself in the material and time will pass quickly. Once you reach a point where you know you are not obtaining information--quit. Sleep will help you more in tests than reading the material (sometimes haha, common sense can do wonders but can't make up correct names and dates and places etc.)

reply to post by PhysicsAdept


Oh this is a Intelligence midterm. I'm toast.

reply to post by Manhater

Know anyone with headphones? Not to make even more noise...but if someone at this hour might have a good pair of muff type headphones, it could sure block out some of the noise keeping you from studying.

I know I was at 3 chapters for my final last year in a Networking class and..Well, 5 hour energy drinks are what kept me awake and alert. They're just Vitamin B-12 at a level similar to what a Doctor gives problem patients as a placebo. It really does work...though looking at the clock, won't a couple of those have you good for study, yet about ready to sleep sitting up as your test starts?

yeah looking at the clock studying is worse because it's like OH NO and you start to scramble because you have to put the book away. I've read the chapters already and wrote out the important stuff.

I think a major part of taking exams is learning how to process information efficiently. Of course you are never going to have everything down 100%. Form an idea of a pyramid with the most important topics creating the base. Focus on this the most because you can't continue to build without a strong foundation. After that, keep moving along with what you think is next in importance. Don't even worry if you don't study everything, because the least important stuff is rarely on the test anyway.

Being afraid that you don't have enough time to study, and thus stressing out about the test, is usually a self-fulfilling prophecy. The more one stresses, the more poorly one does. So just relax and take the information one step at a time instead of all at once. And in the process, think of the studying as teaching you life lessons along with the information that is in the book.

Now the screaming and crying begins. I might as well give up trying to study.

Think I got 3 wrong , 2 for sure. I forgot the 1947-2004 Acts. And I just looked at them. Bah.