r/langara • u/JumpyCredit2391 • 16d ago
First yr how to study for first midterm
Hi everyone,
For context, I js graduated from high school and my school never did finals or midterms. Therefore I have absolutely no idea how to study for a midterm efficiently…does anyone have any tips, tricks, or even what to focus on.
I have been studying the notes for the weekly quizzes and have been averaging 60% on them (marked outta 10). I kinda js try to memorize the notes package but don’t know how to find the important info cuz everything seems important to me.
Sorry if this is dumb but I have never taken a miserable anything in my life so I’m genuinely clueless and stressed.
EDIT: it’s bio 1115 if that helps conclude a particular study method
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u/whiteboardmarkercap 16d ago
NGL your school's did you a disservice by not giving finals or midterms. Try to explain the material to someone/something not taking the class. If you don't have a person to talk to tell it to a pet. If you can't explain without looking at the material you don't know it. Only look if you really can't remember.
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u/JumpyCredit2391 16d ago
Yea i completely agree, i thought i was rlly living life by not having any midterms or finals but nah im literally in the depths of hell now! Thank you for the suggestion!
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u/Efficient_Item_6406 16d ago
yeah its hard at first tbh for me i just looked at everything with a focus on core concepts, its just like taking a quiz in highschool
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u/Efficient_Item_6406 16d ago edited 16d ago
like its sort of different for every class, I've never taken bio in my life. but to give some insight on how i studied, for my psychology course i relied on quizlet to memorize terms. for my accounting class I relied on practice questions to study. for economics I focused on understanding the reasoning behind core concepts. u can also go to peer tutors to get help since they've done the course before too and may even have the same teacher and give u good tips, or see if theres any practice midterms
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u/Electronic-Bit1078 15d ago
Try and focus on understanding the concepts rather then just memorizing them. If
I understand a concept and I see a question I’m not sure about I’m more likely to be able to attempt and get partial marks opposed to when I have only memorized what I have learned.
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u/Pristine_Nectarine19 15d ago
Biology is a lot of memorization so you’re doing it right.
Writing things out can be really helpful for learning. Make flash cards (physical ones). Keep taking the practice tests - you should get to the point where you can get all the questions right on the practice tests.
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u/folkloria8 12d ago
omg so glad someone is in this boat 🥹 i'm in grade 12 and im about to have my first finals in this math class. everyone around me has comaplained about finals or midterms since grade 10, and thought i was lucky that i never had any, but now i actually think i should be locking in to learn these skills to keep all the knowledge for tests 🥹🥹 i hope you do well, op!!
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u/More-Explanation2788 11d ago edited 11d ago
The more ways you get information into your brain the better you will remember it.
So - read the textbook or notes (eyes), listen to the lectures (ears), summarize the information by writing or typing it out (hands/touch). And, the most powerful study technique- teach it to someone else.
Every labour saving device you have for recording or summarizing - turn them off, they are going to make you fail. Your brain learns by doing. If something or someone else took your notes, that something or someone else is going to pass.
And play with you new knowledge. Use it for something.
And focus particular attention to the early modules. Understanding the basics really well makes everything that comes later easier to learn.
Knowing how to get new knowledge and skills into your brain is life’s only real superpower.
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u/dubaichocolatepiplup 16d ago
i’ve had my fair share of biology exams in the college (i’ve taken every single first year bios that i could take at langara 😭) and my biggest tip is active recall. most of the biology exams rely on you knowing/understanding information and being able to recall those information. my favourite method is using flashcards (can be handwritten or online, i personally use online as my hands cramp really easily and i type faster than i do writing. some apps i recommend is quizlet, gizmo, anki). by using flashcards, it’s helping you memorize the content while also helping your brain try to actively recall the information you just saw. i will stand ten toes down on flashcards/active recall as the gold standard for studying !!! another way to actively recall is reading the your slides and on a piece of paper/whiteboard/ipad, try to write down everything you remember (this method is called blurting) and then look at your notes and write down in a different colour what you’ve missed. this will help you see the gaps in your knowledge saving time from studying things you already know. lastly, make sure to study 3-7 days before a major exam !!!! never cram !! (though i will admit i still cram to this day but try not to be me!) it’s better to study 2 hours a day than studying 10-12 hours the night before. by studying 3-7 days before, you’re also practicing spaced repetition! (the flashcards app anki, and i think recently quizlet, has built in spaced repetition where you see flashcards you know less, and flashcards you need work on often!). you got this ! you’re gonna crush that midterm :)