Math, Midterms and the Moon: How to prepare for your first Midterm

Midterms can be pretty intimidating, especially if you’re like me and didn’t have them in high school. My first midterm at Whitman was for my astronomy class, and I was a little stressed. It all turned out okay though. So I’m passing on what I learned about preparing for your first midterm! ProTip: These also work when preparing for finals.

Talk to your Professor – A good place to start if you’re nervous about your test is to reach out to your professor by visiting their office hours! The professors at Whitman want you to do well, so they are happy to sit down with you. Meeting with my professor cleared up questions I had on what to expect on the test, what I should focus on studying and what lecture date to review and put on my notes sheet.

Visit the Academic Resource Center (ARC) – If you feel like you need a little more help understanding the material or you’re looking to gain new study skills, seek out a free tutor at the ARC. There are also free peer academic coaches. These are students who have taken the class before and are a resource to help you learn organizational or study skills. You can also schedule a meeting with one of the staff members or get disability accommodations. Plus, everyone is super nice! 

Study with friends – My last and most helpful tip is to study with friends. I talked to my STEM-inclined roommate about how she studies for her chemistry exams, and she had a lot of good advice. I also met up with my classmates to go over our notes. Some of them were confident in their knowledge and were able to help those of us who were confused, as well as make jokes that helped me remember important details. I would never have expected to enjoy myself so much in a study group, but we even went and got soft serve from Reid Campus Center after we finished a late night of studying the stars. 

Pan Deines ’26 (they/them) is from Vashon Island, Washington and intends to major in English and minor in Creative Writing. They enjoy singing A cappella with the Sirens and annoying their roommate with STEM-related study questions.