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A senior's guide to the start of the second semester, finding motivation, midterms, and more!
guide to Second semester
guide to Second semester
By Shani Grounds
By Shani Grounds
Do not let the joys of Christmas break completely distract you from school! First semester (second quarter) ends January 27. This means that midterms and finals are right around the corner. Fret not, for a fellow senior wishes to guide you through these trying times. Below are some tips and tricks to rock those finals while nourishing your sanity (whatever is left of it, at least).
NOTE: Make sure that your second semester schedule is just the way you want it! If you are unhappy with ANY part of your schedule, make sure to contact your school counselor via the online schedule change request form, or see them face-to-face.
your health comes first
your health comes first
Photo Credit: Harvard's "Healthy Eating Plate"
First and foremost, your physical and mental health are more important than grades. This may be an alien concept if you are anything like me, who has lost about ten pounds of hair over stressing about grades. Also, it is proven that if you take better care of yourself, you may see improvement in your academic performance. For example, when you get plenty of rest (8-10 hours of sleep), you do not have to work as hard to get school assignments done because you will have more energy. Therefore, take care of yourself, please! This means taking the time to bathe yourself when needed, incorporating a healthy diet into your everyday routine, relaxing when you are frustrated or stuck, and regularly exercising. This exercise could simply be 15-minute walks three times a week, and you might see your mood elevated, stress reduced, energy level increased, appearance improved, happiness increased, and alertness and creativity improved. If you are already getting this exercise by walking to your classes, consider taking a walk when you feel frustrated or stressed out from your homework. Research has shown that stepping away from a stressor and taking a comfortable stroll around the neighborhood, for example, promotes relaxation and improves our mood by the release of brain chemicals called endorphins. No need to speed walk; it does not need to be done at a fast pace to see these benefits.
some tips on studying
some tips on studying
The best tip I have is to space out your studying. Pulling an all-nighter and cramming all of your studying in the night before a test might be tempting, but it has been proven that this is actually counterproductive. However, if there are no other options, try taking a power nap (90-110 minutes of sleep) to complete at least one full sleep cycle. This will likely lessen the miserable consequences of procrastination. Short study sessions over time are much more effective than a long, grueling study session the night before a big test. This tactic in cognitive psychology is called the spacing effect, which means that distributed practice is more beneficial than massed practice. Your academic success with those midterms is highly dependent on what you do now, not later.
Another great tip is to test yourself. You can do this by creating a quizlet, creating a deck of flashcards, or just simply covering up the questions/key terms from your notes and guessing the definition (or vice versa). Testing yourself on content repeatedly has been proven to lead to better retention (keeping something in memory) than simply restudying or rereading the content. In cognitive psychology, this concept is called the testing effect. However, keep in mind that your teacher is likely to ask you to dig deeper, meaning they might not simply ask for definitions. Teachers also tend to ask comparing and contrasting questions, which require critical thinking. This is especially relevant if you are in AP or advanced classes.
Find memory aids, such as graphics, examples, and other tools. In cognitive psychology, these memory aids are called mnemonics, which is any device or technique used to assist memory. For example, when studying the four stages of mitosis, remember “I Propose Men Are Toads”, where I=interphase, P in 'propose'=prophase, M in 'men'=metaphase, A in 'are'=anaphase, and T in 'toads'=telophase. The more you make it fun and meaningful, the more likely you will remember it during the test. Also, finding images or graphic examples of what you are trying to study can potentially be beneficial. A visual representation is proven to boost your chances of retrieval or remembering something. One study published by Science News For Kids in 2003 proved that even cartoons can serve as memory aids. In the study, students who saw drawings and silly cartoons representing the information on their tests were more likely to score better on their tests. Furthermore, finding examples of the material you are studying may also be beneficial if you are struggling to understand it. When studying (for example) about the fight-or-flight response, think about what you would do if you encountered a bear in the woods.
other tips
other tips
It might be cliché, but the new year could bring a new, fresh start to your school year. Making small, positive changes could be beneficial towards your overall well-being and academic success. Below are some more examples of how you can change your life for the better. Jot them down on your new year’s resolutions!
Get a planner. As someone who purchases plenty of nice-looking planners but never uses them, I may not be the best person to relay this information. Student planners are proven to reduce stress and increase productivity. This makes sense because losing track of deadlines may be extremely stressful. Also, there is something satisfying about checking a box after accomplishing something. The desire to check this box may provide an incentive to do the work. If there is concern about expenses, the career center in the core building may have free student planners available.
Do not overwork yourself. I understand that this may not be an option for some. However, if it is, and you feel that your work schedule is a bit too tight, consider asking your manager to ease your schedule. Again, if it is an option, it is important to prioritize school and extracurricular activities over work. Enjoy being a teenager while you still can. You will have plenty of time to work in adulthood!
Hopefully, you find these tips helpful! Doing schoolwork during a pandemic is a tough situation, but remember that, like you, teachers and fellow students are also facing challenges. Now, here are some bonus tips: Be kind to yourself and others. Ask questions. Take advantage of this school's wide variety of extracurricular activities. Appreciate all of the teachers here for being heroes. Many of them have risked their lives to teach during this deadly pandemic. Lastly, have a great second semester!
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