Preparing for Midterms

By Jessica Lipman

Midterms are approaching high schoolers faster than they think. The dates for midterms at Glenelg High School are January 22nd-25th. Although some students are more worried than others for these tests, it is important for all students to prepare themselves.

For midterms, students should resource to a form of studying. Notecards, study guides provided, or Quizlet are helpful tools in achieving the necessary knowledge you will need for your tests. Senior Kraig Pelkey explained that working on study guides is very helpful for him because “[He] is able to grab [his] study guide whenever [he] wants to, even during in class, and have small review sessions throughout the day.” Notecards and study guide packets are helpful because it allows you to handwrite the information yourself. These methods are useful in memorizing important vocabulary words for your English class or equations for chemistry or math.


Not only is it very important for you to study for your midterms in general, but the best way to succeed on your test is to spread out your studying time. It is very common for many high schoolers to stay up all night the night before an important exam and not get any sleep. This could cause the student to barely function while in school and not think properly during their midterm. Once a student knows what information they need to know for their tests, each day they should study in short periods of thirty-minutes to an hour. Remember to take a break after these sessions to reboot your brain and relax. It is important to avoid cramming in all of their information and do these sessions every day for a couple of weeks so they are more confident. Personally, I have found this studying method very helpful and I have scored much higher while doing this, instead of waiting till the night before my midterm.


One of the most important steps to doing well on your midterms is to ask your teachers for extra help if you do not understand a topic. Most teachers at Glenelg provide after school help or you can visit them during lunch shifts or Glad Time. Senior Amelia Brinkley agreed and said, “If you do not ask your teachers for help then you will most likely struggle when the subject is asked on your exam.” Teachers are here to help students comprehend what they are being taught and they will help if you ask.


The last step to achieving a high grade on your exam is to get enough sleep the night before the test. When you get seven or eight hours of sleep, you will be more awake than those who decide to stay up all night studying. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine performed a study on 882 freshmen. Their research revealed that “insufficient sleep among adolescents contribute to lower grades and lack of motivation.” You should also eat a healthy breakfast before in order to focus on your test while you are taking it and not on your empty stomach if you don’t eat.

Midterms begin very soon. These tips are guaranteed to be very helpful as you begin preparing. When I have used these methods, I have seen a positive difference in my grade. Remember, it is also better to start studying sooner than later!