When Midterms Or Finals Approach – A Roller Coaster
BY JENNIFER LOCKMAN
So it is that time of the year again where you get to show off what you have learned (or at least what you should have learned). It is not a reason for celebrating but we all have gone through it and survived. At least it’s what you keep telling yourself.
There is no doubt, though, that midterms are a time of much turmoil. Not only in the cognitive part but emotionally as well.
Academic paper writing takes the lion’s share of your routine. Deadlines make even the most cool-headed student distressed. Fortunately, you can get help from the experts like essayservice.com. That allows you to breathe a sigh of relief. You save time to focus on the discipline you’re not well-versed in.
Now, let’s get into the cart of the roller coaster! Recognise your emotions during all the phases of midterms – and learn to get over them victoriously!
- Determination and Optimism
All right, so you know you got this. You are pumped and you even got yourself a notepad to make your crispy notes. Your laptop is charged, your pencils are sharpened, and your highlighters are loaded. What could go wrong? This phase is the peak of your emotions.
Psychologists call it “the joy of anticipation”. It’s similar to the anticipation of a holiday, important event, or getting to the end of an exciting book. Naturally, you don’t necessarily anticipate midterms with joy. But I bet you are daydreaming of the day they are over. Plus, midterms are a rite of passage. Moving on to a next phase should bring some joy.
- Wake-up call
Isn’t getting started the hardest stage? Once you realize how much work you have to do, you feel something like a hit right in the face. The excitement from the beginning fades away as you note the dark and looming pages of your books, staring at white and huge blank space under the first sentence of your essay.
- You reconcile reality
You know you got this. You already went through the tough phase of realising that it’s not all fireworks and cheers. There’s work to do! Now you get to the most productive time. You’ve got a feeling of self-satisfaction from having accomplished things.
Take advantage of this phase! Get as much done as possible. Quick, before you get into the rabbit’s hole!
- The Rabbit Hole
Alice, don’t go after the rabbit! On the other hand, don’t we all need a break? You start mindlessly surfing the web and watch YouTube… It helps you to disconnect from all this midterm craze.
There’s no need to overstrain yourself. But don’t let yourself fall deep into the abyss or drink tea at the Mad Hatter’s table for too long!
- Thinking cap back on
Having a break was fun. But it is time to get back to studies. Put on the thinking cap again! Turn on the lamp and grab a grip on that highlighter again! Determination, remember?
If you struggle the writer’s block, there are precious online resources to brainstorm. Despite the common belief that students become lazier, researches indicate the students receive better grades over the last few decades. Surf the web smart!
- Test Anxiety
So you have caught up with what you think is everything. You had success going through all the above phases alive. Sorry telling you that, but nothing can prepare you for the test anxiety.
Have you checked what test anxiety can cause to you? This is the steepest roller coaster so far! Let’s check. You experience tension, overarousal, fear of failure, dread having rapid heartbeat and headache… Look on the bright side! It’s a miracle you are sane, alive and well!
- Joy of Closure
Did you make it? Nothing beats the relief of having made it out in one piece. You got your exams passed and papers written. You are nervously proofreading and correcting your last essay. But it’s seconds away from being over! Until the finals.
About the author: Jennifer Lockman is blogger and student majoring in Journalism. Her specialization includes linguistics, psychology and e-learning. Jennifer is published on regular terms at the educational resource
