How can I survive midterm season at Florida State University if I live in off-campus apartments?

Nights in the Strozier Library, study sessions with your classmates, and unexplainable stress; these are all symptoms of midterm season.  

Living in off-campus apartments can mean you don't get to utilize all your school resources often. When it comes to midterms, studying is a must. These are a few tips to keep in mind when you're pulling that all-nighter in your FSU apartment.  

Study Rooms:  

Living in an apartment near Florida State University can give you the ease of quickly getting to the library. However, study rooms fill up quickly as everyone makes reservations in advance, and it can leave you with no choice but to stay home. Although studying in your bed can be comfortable, it is not the most efficient. 

Luckily, most student apartments have designated study rooms to provide their residents with the best working space possible. Study rooms can often help you focus, especially when it comes to cramming for midterms. An organized and clear environment allows you to concentrate without having any visual disruptions.  

Learning with your fellow Seminole classmates is a way of ensuring that you have all the studying material. It is more comfortable having a classmate explain statistics rather than your FSU professor. Form a study group with your classmates early in the semester; that way, all of you are on the same page. Remember that you can always meet with them in a library or even in your apartment's study room. 

Motivation:  

Losing your motivation during midterms is more comfortable than it should be. The coordination of all your exams, projects, and homework can drain the life out of you. However, it is crucial to keep a hold of your driving force.  

If you plan to have prolonged hours of studying, remember to allow yourself breaks. A good tip is to have pace yourself, so a 5-10-minute break every 30 minutes will allow a good rhythm. However, beware of giving in to the pleasures of social media and other distractions as it is hard to let go. Additionally, during these breaks, reward yourself with a snack as it can create something to look forward to.  

Recharge 

Sleep is the most critical part of retaining information. Although all-nighters are inevitable in some cases, getting full hours of sleep is essential. Plan a study schedule a week before the exam date, so you allow the studying to happen over time rather than cramming the night before.  

When the time comes to pull that dreaded all-nighter study session, there is only one thing that can get you through it all: caffeine. Coffee, tea, and caffeinated drinks provide you with all the extra energy, but it comes with a cost. If you're going to drink anything containing caffeine, be sure you're not going to crash in the middle of your exam as that can erase all the hard studying, you had to endure.  

After your exam, take a personal day. Lie in your bed, go out to eat, or have a self-care night with your roommates. Be sure to reward yourself for the hard work and commitment you put into your education. Being a college student can be a stressful time in your life as you are figuring out everything that comes with living, and midterms don't help with that. However, if you need any more tips to pass this season with flying colors, check out College Magazine's ten tips on studying for midterms.

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