Unwind during the midterm season

Ricardo Padilla / Assistant Photo Editor

Katherine George 

The Silhouette

It’s that time of year again. The leaves have made their transition from lush summer green to an array of bright autumn colours, signifying not only the change of seasons, but also that summer’s freedom is over and the reality of school has finally set in.

Unfortunately, the season includes dreadful, nerve-racking midterms. No matter how hard an individual tries to be prepared, the month of midterms always seems to sneak up unexpectedly, leaving students scrambling to get organized. Escaping the stress of midterms is nearly impossible, so here are some tips to help you de-stress during midterms.

It is easy to let exams get the best of you, not only mentality, but also physically. Regular exercise doesn’t only improve overall health; it helps to clear your head and allow you to absorb more information while studying.

It can be any kind of physical activity, even a simple walk outside.

Giving your body fresh air and stretching your legs for even ten minutes will help you to retain more information than if you were to plug away for an extra ten minutes without a break.

In addition to exercising, but sure to get enough sleep. For your brain to function at full capacity it needs rest, and students are no strangers to all-nighters. Unfortunately, delaying studying to the last minute undoubtedly causes increasing amounts of stress and decreasing hours of rest. “In order to do well on my midterms, I always have to get a good night sleep.

Otherwise, I know I will regret it the next day,” says to fourth-year sociology student Andrew Fernley.

Another way to make studying for midterms more effective and relaxing can be to spend time away from the books and hang out with friends.

This may seem counter-intuitive, but it is important to give yourself time to do the laid-back things that you would normally do without the stress of an exam. Obviously, you must be careful to put a limit on the time you spend hanging out with your friends in comparison to studying.

In addition to hanging out with friends, spending quality time with family is a good way to de-stress during midterms. Surrounding yourself with a familiar and comfortable setting such as family can help relieve feelings of anxiety. Family members are often sources of support and encouragement.

If your mentality is that you can be successful, often, you will be. Everyone is unique in terms of how they study and achieve success.

Taking the time to indulge in at least one activity to de-stress while studying for midterms (or any other stressful component of everyday life, for that matter) is important. Students often spend so much time cramming and studying for school, they forget to take care of themselves.