The midway point of any semester can cause a lull in your hustle. You’re planning your upcoming travel, the end of the semester is within sight, and the thought of break being so close is having you dream of no homework and sleeping in. On top of all that, it’s midterm season. 

Staying on top of things and prioritizing your to-do list can be difficult when you’re being pulled a million different directions. Here are five ways to stay sane and tackle midterm season at the same time.

Table of Contents

Get Organized and Plan Ahead

Aside from your exam study guides, your planner is your midterm survival guide. Ever since I started using one five years ago, I haven’t been able to live without one since! My planner contains all my important test dates, assignment due dates, club meetings, appointments, work hours, and important memos and reminders. I like to color code everything with highlighters, so when I glance at my week, I know exactly what I need to do. 

Having an organized desk and study area is essential to getting things done. Nothing’s worse than having a cluttered desk and no space to set down your notebook and laptop. I found that even going through the act of cleaning and organizing my study space helps to clear my mind and motivate me to sit down and start checking things off my to-do list.  

You should also prioritize your time. Prioritize by dates, how much each exam/quiz/project is worth, and your knowledge of the topic. That way, you’ll be spending your precious minutes on the things that are most likely to help your GPA.

Once you know what you need to be doing, be sure that you’re timing your week and planning ahead. Planning out your week will make your goals clear, help you check off your to-do list one item after another, and let you know when you have the free time to kick back and relax.