A Hunter's Guide to Midterm Season
For most Mathies, the coming weeks are the worst time of the term (other than the final exam period). It is a time when everyone has to juggle their time between reviewing for midterms, doing assignments and/or projects, attending lectures, and doing something other than math.
In many ways, writing a midterm is like hunting in the jungle. When writing a midterm, one has to be careful at all times to avoid as many minor mistakes as possible because, as in nature, any small mistake can be fatal. It is also recommended that test writers complete as many questions as they can, because of Jungle Rule #1 — "What you don't conquer will come back and haunt you."
When going to the jungle, I mean, exam room, remember the following:
- Carry an ample amount of ammunition
Nothing is worse than running out of pencils or having a calculator that has no power during the middle of an exam. Bring more than what you need, or better yet, bring everything. (NO cheat sheets because you may bring more than what you bargain for.)
- Stay away from the aisles
This may sound odd, as it is harder to find an escape or to leave after you're done, but having fellow test writers surrounding you will give you a feeling that you are not alone and may give you the confidence boost that you need.
- Don't put your name on a page until there is something else written on the page
Glancing at a page that has nothing written but your name can cause you to feel inferior, and having doubts in yourself is the last thing you need in the jungle (or exam room).
- Ignore the time on the board and the clock
The clock, by its nature, can drive you to think that you don't have much time and can cause you to rush things. Unless you are an accurate speed writer, this will often lead to undetected mistakes, which can accumulate and haunt you later.
I hope this will help you in conquering your midterms. However, this is only a guide and may not work on everyone. So good luck on your adventures in the jungle, urh, I mean midterm exams. (I know I'm going to need any good luck I can get.)
Jason "the Screamer" Lau