For many students, midterms are a stressful time of year. It doesn’t matter the major is, whether more creative or STEM-based; midterms can be stressful for all students.
In particular, midterms can be stressful for freshmen who haven’t experienced them before, but students offer advice on how to balance mental health.
Lauren Velander is a freshman majoring in fashion design and merchandising. For her midterms, she has one exam, a project progress check and another project due.
“On Tuesdays I don’t have classes, so I usually just spend that time relaxing and preparing for the week ahead, but this week I’ll have to spend the whole day studying,” Velander said.
For students like Velander who are experiencing midterms for the first time, anxiety can build up the stress of finals.
“Midterms are making me more scared for finals because if I do badly on midterms, I really have to lock in for finals, and I haven’t really had a real final,” Velander said. “I never had a real final in high school.”
Hayden Engkjer is a freshman studying psychology on the pre-law track and has also been experiencing the stresses of midterms.
“I was feeling jealous because my roommate didn’t have a bunch of homework yet, but now we are both even and having to study for midterms,” Engkjer said.
Dedicating extra time to studying or completing projects can impact your overall mental health. The added stress of these assignments and tests can make it hard to think about anything other than school.
Engkjer has expressed that her midterms are stressing her out and impacting her life beyond school.
“It is kind of unfortunate because I can’t take a break or spend time with my friends without thinking about school,” Engkjer said.
Overall, it is important to take time for yourself while studying for midterms because not allowing yourself to take breaks can add even more stress to schoolwork and your life.
If you’re feeling the stress of midterms, Cyclone Support Central is a dedicated space in Parks Library for mental health and relaxation.
