Midterms week is coming soon, and everyone knows how stressful it can be to try and get as much studying done as possible. Here are some tips that can help you relax and relieve the anxiety of midterms.

• Think positive. Instead of letting your anxiety get the best of you or thinking of worst case scenarios, focus on positive outcomes. Not only are optimists more likely to have better health and better relationships, but they also will be capable of thinking more clearly during exams.  
• Eat better. Having a healthier diet can actually enhance your brainpower and give you more energy. Conversely, junk food can give you stomach problems, which you definitely would not want to deal with during your midterms. So maybe take a break from the junk, whether it be doughnuts or Cheetos, and take a bite of an apple; it’ll help you more than you think.
• Try not to procrastinate. Delaying your studying is the worst thing you can do. Instead of putting it off to the last minute, break up each subject and get your studying done as soon as possible. Once you are done, the weight will be lifted off your shoulders.
• Pick the perfect study spot. Try to find a quiet place with minimal distractions to study. Consider the school library or a public library as opposed to your bed. It has been proven that studying in your bed can negatively affect the quality of your sleep.
• Sleep. Sleep may be the most important tip. Studies show that if teens don’t get between 9 and 9 ½ hours of sleep, they are “sleep deprived”. Sleep deprivation ruins attention span and short term-memory, making it difficult to do well on your exams. Studying right before going to bed can help you remember more material if you “sleep on it.”
• Forget the phone. We all know how hard this can be, but shutting your phone off, even for an hour, can be extremely beneficial when it comes to studying. Without constantly checking your texts, Instagram, and Snapchat, you will get more study time and understand the material better.
• Join a study group. Getting together with classmates to work on a subject can help you and your partners understand the material better by helping each other. You can quiz each other with flashcards or make study guides together, but remember to stay on task.
• Listen to music. Music has been proven to help reduce stress levels. It can even help you study. If you listen to a song you know well, listen to it while studying! It’s been seen that those who listen to a catchy song while studying and hum the song during the test perform better on their tests.
• Don’t overdo it. It is extremely important to study for midterms, but too much studying isn’t good. If you study too much at one time, you will overwork yourself and you may mess up information while taking the test. So do yourself a favor and take small 5 to 10 minute breaks every so often. You will recuperate and be ready to study some more in no time!