Students all over campus will be starting to cram for their upcoming midterms.
The freshly sharpened pencils have dulled along with that initial beginning-of-the-school- year adrenaline rush, leaving a necessary sense of urgency to kick the semester into full gear with these tests.
Midterms, although not always as intense as finals exam are making an impact, falling around a busy few weeks here at Seton Hall including fall break and University weekend. The excess activity is affecting some students' study habits. Students need to start preparing for upcoming exams after the long weekend off.
According to freshman Nicole Simone, this timing of events has led her to experience some problems.
"I barely did any studying," Simone said. "I only did homework."
Other freshmen are seeing it as a less pressing obstacle, such as Brian Franklin. "I'm just studying a little less this weekend," Franklin said.
Many freshmen are experiencing midterms or mid- semester-like exams for the first time. Even if they had midterms in high school, there are many students that say they are worried about taking their first college tests.
Some students are not sure what to expect. They are even going into exams, "taking them as trials" freshman Kevin George said.
"They aren't worried because they are only going to be easier after you get a feel for how midterms work in college." George said.
Upperclassmen who are more used to the midterm routine are expressing less concern over how midterms work, and instead are more focused on studying for courses in a way that works for them, according to sophomore Amanda McCarthy.
"Compared to freshman year, I find my classes more difficult, but I find myself more prepared," McCarthy said. "I have started to study a lot more than I ever did in high school."
With two years of midterms under their belt, juniors are still feeling the pressure, but stress does not have to be a necessary component, according to junior Augustine Altomare.
"The best thing to do is find a group, either of friends or just people you know well enough to study with who are in your class," Altomare said. "That way you can work off each other rather than have the whole weight of studying to yourself."
Students shared that their tools of choice for studying were primarily Power Points made by professors, notes taken in class and flashcards.
"I'll go to the library to study notes, any Power Points used in class and past homework assignments," Franklin said.
When it comes to midterms students said that they overall agreed that studying is important to avoid stress.
"Don't go into (midterms) scared," George said. "Be confident that you know the material."
Mary Marshall can be reached at mary.marshall@student.shu. edu.
