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opinion
Can't pass that
midterm? Here's how
It's that wonderful
time again. It's time for midterms and we all must do well if
we want to get out of here in a reasonable amount of time.
The purpose of this column is to inform you about what you should
and should not do to prepare for midterms. First, don't make
the same mistake that I always make.
This mistake is procrastination. Please make sure that you have
enough time to study before your exam. Make sure that
you have all the notes and materials to help you study.
To get more out of your studying and to retain all the information
that you are expected to learn, you might want to get some index
cards and write all the information on them.
Another way to effective studying is coming up with clever little
memorization methods that will help you remember. For example,
if you need to memorize a word and it's definition, then create
an acrostic, and tailor it to your specific needs.
You can also take things that you have learned in class and
associate them with things in your personal life. For example,
I had to take a test on adjectives and adverbs. I knew that
adjectives were describing words, so I took the examples from
the book and made up examples using situations in my own life.
Try to apply the material to your own life, no matter how boring
and tedious it may be. I know this is boring, and we all hate
midterms, but if you want to survive this long journey, then
sacrifices must be made.
On the other hand, just to be perfectly honest, I have always
procrastinated when studying for exams, and I've managed to
do OK. However, maybe if I applied myself more, then my grade
point average would be a lot higher.
Also, try not to complain about how much you are expected to
remember because the professor is not going to modify the exam
nine times out of 10. So just study all you can, and go in with
confidence. Try not to worry about the outcome of the exam,
just relax, and know that you did what you could.
Another thing to remember is that you should never go into a
class on exam day with notes trying to study just before the
exam. This never works, and what you don't know by that
point will not just magically appear in your head. Just forget
about it.
Walk into class, take your seat, and take your exam, and trust
me, if you relax, then more than likely the information will
come to you. And, if the information doesn't come to you,
that's OK, everyone blanks out, especially when you have to
act as a robot and retain large amounts of information.
Finally, as I close, just do whatever works for you. If
you study ahead of time, do that, if you procrastinate like
me, then do that. Just make sure that your methods are
effective and you are passing your exams and your classes.
Larry W. Brunson Jr. is a journalism and English major at
Cal State Long Beach.
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