WITH MIDTERMS around the corner, Yonseians are sure to be frantic as they juggle their last-minute deadlines. Many of us students tend to assure ourselves, “I’ll definitely study earlier next time”, which is all but an illusion. Our busy college lives do not always grant us the luxury of time. As we navigate the midterm exam month together, let’s hear from some of The Yonsei Annals reporters about their study habits or advice.    

Aimanshina Aruzhan (Reporter, Current Issues Div.): Finding What Works for Me

   Before joining The Yonsei Annals, I was always self-conscious about my writing. Even though it is good to have a second set of eyes proofread your papers, I flat out refused to show my essays to spare myself the embarrassment. Thankfully, I discovered a different proofreading method. If you Google “voice generator,” millions of results will lead you to websites that convert your text to computerized speech. Listening to another voice read my exam papers helped me detect errors and awkward sentence flows. Since then, I have become less reserved about sharing my writing, but I still use voice generators from time to time. I recommend this writing trick to anyone who is reluctant to show their work to others.

Jung So-jin (Reporter, Campus Reporting Div.): Cramming, Cramming, Cramming

   I have a very spontaneous, on-the-go personality, which tends to bleed into my academic life. So, I never make a long-term study schedule and depend almost entirely on my intuition. While I do have a calendar for important deadlines, I don’t use it that often and I just try to remember my assignments day by day. This means I start studying a lot later than some of my more diligent friends. For example, if I have a test the next day, I’ll skim over what I have to study and come up with a vague agenda inside my head. I’ll then grab a bag of chips to fuel my brain and spend the night cramming. I hope I can find a study method that’s more stable and requires less adrenaline, but I also ended up on the Honor’s Roll last semester so…

Shin Soo-min (Reporter, Current Issues Div.): The Final Spurt Always Works

   I am literally a collection of so-called “unhealthy” habits, which tends to make me suffer especially during the exam period. I am a night owl, and usually stay awake until 5 a.m. I procrastinate on every assignment until I get the dreaded feeling that I won’t have enough time unless I start it now. My international studies major already requires more essays than exams, and thanks to COVID-19, even more professors require written assignments, Now, I tend to stay up the entire night before the due date writing. The bitter realization that I am cornered and have to finish the assignment makes me endure through the last spurt. There is also a “thrill” that comes from submitting a paper at the last minute, which has been entirely drawn from all my creative energy. Somehow, it always works.

Jung Ye-won (Reporter, Culture Div.): Finding What Works for Me

   Back in middle school, I couldn’t seem to study without having physical, hand-written notes in front of me. This study technique was stressful because I didn’t have time to write out notes for every subject. I asked my sister, who was a straight-A student for her personal study tips, to which she replied, “don’t waste your time making notes, use that time to read through the textbook a couple more times.” Honestly, it did make sense after considering it—I had only focused on writing down notes rather than absorbing the content itself. In preparation for my next exam, I gave up on making notes and only skimmed through my textbook. However, my score wasn’t great at all. Through this incident, I tried out different studying methods and found that retrieval practice was most efficient for me.

Park Ji-hun (Reporter, Campus Reporting Div.): The Calm Before the Storm

   Every year, during exams, I like to do the complete opposite of studying; I let myself go. Now don’t get me wrong, I am a straight-A student. However, I strongly believe that, from my own experience, that the more stressed and tense I get, the less efficient I study. Hence, I take some time to clean my room, meet my grandparents, and get plenty of sleep. Then I go study in short bursts, at full capacity. This has gotten me through the most difficult of exams.

Kim Nayoon (Reporter, Culture Div.): A Student’s Best Friend

   I would not have submitted my first midterm assignment if it weren’t for my dog Berry. Before I proofread and submitted a report for my world history course, I decided to sleep so I could have a well-rested, clear mind. The next morning, I practically fell out of bed after I heard my dog barking. At first I assumed nothing of it, since he usually barks toward random noises. However, as I walked toward the living room, I heard a sound other than Berry’s barking, my phone alarm clock! I completely forgot that I had left my phone in the living room. If it wasn’t for Berry, I would have never heard the faint sound of my alarm and would have slept soundly past my assignment’s deadline.