Bouncing Back from Midterms

As a university student, I’m sure everyone has gotten a grade back and wasn’t exactly happy about it. I’ve been there before, and it can be really hard to take in… especially in first year. In my experience, dwelling on these *unfortunate* times is not beneficial to me. Instead, I choose to learn from them. Reflecting: The first thing I do is ask myself why I got the grade I did. Is it because I’m not interested in the material of that course? If this is the case, then maybe I should consider taking some other kinds of classes that actually interest me.

Was the course content too hard for me, or did I just not spend enough time reviewing the material? If the content was too hard for me, I take some time to think about whether or not my major is right for me. If I just didn’t spend long enough reviewing, then I make a note to myself that that particular course requires more effort. There could be many factors contributing to a bad grade, and I personally think it’s really important to find out why I got the grade I did so that I can work on improving for next time. Changing my study habits: Sometimes, the reason for a bad grade could very well because the way I studied was wrong. For example, after I didn’t get my desired grade for my chemistry class, I realized that it was because I spent too long reviewing my notes, and not enough time doing practice questions. Not only is it really important to study, it’s even more important to study smart. It’s okay that this midterm didn’t go that well, I can make adjustments to my study habits so that I can do better next time. Life goes on: At the end of the day, one midterm doesn’t define who I am, and I truly believe that. I know that sometimes, it can feel like it’s the end of the world, but there are many other opportunities to boost my mark, like other test, projects, quizzes, and let’s not forget the final exam.  My point is, there’s more to life than one midterm. Most importantly, I like to take some time off after midterms. For me, it’s really important to treat myself after a long and extremely stressful month. I go out with my family and friends, binge watch some Netflix shows, or take a nice nap to make up for the sleep I lost during midterm season. It can be really rewarding and doing things I love helps me bounce back from midterms. I hope everyone had a good midterm season, and for those who still have midterms coming up, best of luck!