Midterms are every college student’s nightmare: a sort of make-or-break exam before the big boss that is the course final. Fortunately for me, I have yet to experience such a task. This quarter I am taking classes that are largely project/participation based so I do not have any big assessments, but rather a research essay or performance to be graded on.
Nevertheless, as midterms began to hit for other students around week 3 I definitely saw a shift in the vibe of the campus. I consider myself to be a night owl so I already prefer to spend late nights doing homework if needed. It was an interesting experience, though, to find other people who developed the same sleeping habits as me- and believe me, there are many.
Despite what you might think, the whole process of preparing for midterms (based on my observations and the time I spent doing big assignments while everyone studied) isn’t all blood, sweat, and tears- it’s actually pretty entertaining. Everyone has a preferred method of studying or working; for me and those around me it was food and late night hijinks.
First of all, the Anteatery in Mesa Court (an on-campus residential community) serves a delicious late-night menu from 8pm-12 am so any students planning to stay up can enjoy some potstickers or chilli and fries (sounds yummy doesn’t it?). If the Anteatery happens to close before you can get a bite, worry not because there are also Insomnia Cookies at the University Town Center across campus open until 3am to satisfy your late late night cravings.
So along with food there are other ways of relieving stress. Within my dorm hall the common room will have a show or movie playing for a quick distraction from the textbook. If that’s not enough, I find a friend and dance and laugh our worries away; it’s surprising how amusing jokes can be late at night. I always like to remember that it’s important to keep the mood up during stressful times so finding any reason to spend quality time with others is how I typically de-stress.
To leave you all off with advice on dealing with midterm season: find what works for you! There are plenty of study areas on campus (libraries, student center, The Court in Mesa Court (open only to residents of Mesa Court)) if you prefer a quiet space and also many people who would love to create a study group- just ask around!