By Alex El Sawi, Staff Writer
As we fly by winter break and the second quarter comes to an end, one thing remains in the back of our minds…MIDTERMS.
For freshmen, this is a new experience and these exams mark a milestone from their previous years in middle school and an awakening to the more academic-focused high school. In middle school, there were only a few classes that contained midterms. According to Freshman Chai Raghavan, in middle school he “only had midterms in French/Spanish and Math. However, in 9th grade, we have midterms in every class, which may seem like a lot.”
This contrast can be daunting for many students. However, those who feel less anxious about midterms view them as a stepping stone for the years to come in high school as Sydney expresses, “I can see that as you progress into high school and the classes get harder, midterms could become a lot more stressful.”
The transition from middle to high school comes with many changes- different teachers, new subjects, and a more difficult curriculum. Freshmen must learn to adapt to these changes and find what best suits them in their academic journey for the coming years of high school. Mid-terms can be a great way to assess your success mid-way through the year.
Adam Hawthorne likes to view coming into midterms as, “a way for myself and my teachers to check what has and hasn’t been working throughout the semester. Whether that be my study habits or what my teachers could refresh on in future lessons”. Like Adam, many sources suggest you view midterms as an evaluation tool rather than extensive stressful tests.
Freshmen, especially those who participate in extracurricular activities, tend to feel a sense of nervousness and stress as midterms get closer and closer. A common theme presented in interviews with people participating in sports shared their concerns with time management.
MMA Fighter, freshman Shorbodaman De shares, “I think balancing my work and being able to study is limited when I have limited time because I have to go to practice four days a week and am too tired to study afterward” River Hill wrestler, freshman Vincent Bush, shares similar struggles, stating “wrestling practice after school is very tiring and takes away a lot of your free time honestly when I get home I just want to nap. Especially on match days, they run pretty long, and when I don’t have nearly any time for studying, I end up sacrificing my sleep for studying.”
The freshman perspective on midterms varies based on your 8th-grade year, extracurriculars, teachers, and the classes you take, and it’s the same for the way you study. Studying isn’t a one size fits all task. There are certain habits that work for certain people, and that’s why I view freshman midterms as a way to experiment on your study habits before they become more serious in the future years of high school and even college. Best of luck on midterm exams, and remember, the harder you study, the luckier you’ll get!