It’s that time of year again! The 2026 midterms will take place from the 20th to the 23rd. These next few weeks can be especially stressful with winter sports, Dr. Harriton preparations, and course selection, so here are some tips to help ensure your midterms go as seamlessly as possible.
Preparing Yourself Physically
First and foremost, the importance of fueling yourself properly with water, good food, and enough sleep is obvious. The right physical preparations can completely change your test scores. All that studying could be for nothing if you show up to your test unprepared!
Picking the Right Study Location
The actual location in which you study can make a big difference, too. Finding a quiet, comfortable place to study with limited distractions can boost the productivity of your study sessions. For example, studying in the kitchen when you’re not the only one home is probably not a great idea. It can get loud and it will be harder for your brain to absorb information when there’s a lot going on around you. Studying in your room is usually the best choice because it will most likely be calm and have few distractions.
Saying No to Your Phone
Even though it’s hard, putting your phone in another room or turning on the “Do Not Disturb” feature while studying is a good idea. If your phone sits next to you, notifications will inevitably disrupt your studying. Take it for someone who’s made this mistake – it’s extremely hard to get into a good flow if you’re constantly picking up your phone to see what that “buzz” was.
Taking Breaks
That being said, taking study breaks is essential. Even a few minutes of watching a show, taking a walk, or grabbing a quick snack (or checking your phone that you put in another room) can strengthen your ability to recall information during the test. You should ensure that your break actually allows you to walk away from the material. Thinking about the topic you’re studying while you’re taking a break effectively defeats the purpose of said break. Study breaks help the brain to not become “desensitized” during studying, which is essentially the same thing that happens when you read something and it doesn’t quite “stick” in your head. Taking a breather can actually make your studying go quicker, because you won’t have to re-read the same things over and over again to absorb the information.
Dealing With Review Packets
A lot of teachers like to give out big review packets, which is great, but they can feel really overwhelming when you first get them. Splitting up the work over a few days (for example, completing a 20 page packet over five days by completing four pages each day) is an effective way to get over that initial hesitation to start working. Similarly, however tempting it may feel, you shouldn’t do all of the “reviewing” in one sitting. This, like thinking over material during study breaks, is counterproductive to your midterm studying. You will probably get double the benefit you would by doing the packet over a few days. If you haven’t already, make a dent in those packets! The sooner you start them, the better.
Making Notecards
Along with review packets, some teachers will also allow you to use a notecard on your midterm. My biggest tip is don’t write down things you already know. This is simply a waste of time, and, more importantly, a waste of precious space on your notecard! Believe it or not, making your notecard is also a study method, as you actually absorb some of the material in the process of making it. Another tip is to take a photo of your notecard when it’s done, so even if you lose it, you can get a blank one from your teacher and remake it.
Saving Your Work Through the Year
While we are all focused on midterms right now, finals week will be creeping up on us soon enough. You can save those big review packets and notecards to help you study for finals! I also like to keep an accordion folder of all of my work from the year and add to it after we finish a unit in each class. Using the accordion folder does a few things for you: it will keep your backpack light, keep your papers organized, and, if you sort everything into their respective units like I do, when finals roll around, the accordion folder will never leave you endlessly searching for “that one paper with the division examples on it.” It has also been helpful across multiple grades as concepts in certain subjects seem to come up again and again.
Midterms may feel intense, but with the right preparation they don’t have to take over your next few weeks. Staying organized, taking care of yourself, and studying early can make a huge difference when test day arrives. Good luck!
