by Ashley DeVita

Midterm week is coming up here at OHS, and students may feel overwhelmed or stressed about their test-taking abilities. Here are some tips to help reassure students they have nothing to worry about when taking these exams. 

1. Breathing exercises and relaxation techniques will help you clear your mind and make sure you don’t get too overwhelmed with studying. 

2.  Take good notes and review regularly while taking breaks. This will help you better process the information that you are taught in class.

3. Do all of your homework/classwork. This is extremely important and beneficial. Paying attention in class is the key to success. How can you pass a test if you don’t pay attention in class?

4. If possible, take practice exams from previous years. This will help prepare you for the format of the test and give you more confidence. 

5. Process notes in a way that helps you retain the information – whatever works best for you.  

6. Eat well and get enough sleep during the week. This is extremely important because you need to have enough energy in order to learn and process information.

7.  Studying with a friend (or in a group) and comparing notes together can potentially help you better comprehend a topic that you’ve been struggling with. Seeing the information from a different perspective could help you better understand a topic. 

8. Stay organized! Keep a strict study schedule and keep notes from specific lessons organized. This will prevent unneeded stress from not knowing where certain notes are. 

9. Stay active! Regular exercise has been proven to release stress. 

10. Color code your notes, make flashcards, and create your own study guides. The more you rehash the information, the more information you will remember.