Judgment day is upon us: Surviving midterm madness

William H. Kelly III
Editor-in-Chief

The countdown to judgment day has officially commenced at Jackson State and for the first time since I entered the hallowed halls of the university, I can confidently say that I am POSSIBLY prepared.

While some may be joyous to see the semester moving quite so swiftly, others are staring at the wall wondering how and why?

Midterm exams can definitely be stressful, especially for someone who decided to go to the afternoon Hotspot instead of class on a Friday or two. Honestly, some of you might be taking a major L for midterms, but that is the beauty behind it all.

The key to solving the mystery behind midterms is simply going to class and being best buds with the professors. Considering some of you have more intense courses this semester, you clearly don’t have the option to come unprepared. Now, for those who can be a bit more flexible of course, in a situation where you possibly did miss entirely too many classes, it would be wise to try to get as much material from several classmates.

Take advantage of midterm season to get in good-standing with your professors and actually bounce back from whatever may have been holding you back. A healthy relationship between student and teacher can determine whether or not your final grade will be a D or a B. While C’s and D’s get degrees, an A or B can get you closer to that 3.0 GPA.

This is the season of reflecting and self-evaluation; in other words, if you dropped your life somewhere on the plaza or in the residence halls, it’s time to go back and retrieve it before it is too late.

We all have periods during our college career where we slack and encounter obstacles and become discouraged. Believe or not, all of us have or will make some pretty bad decisions that impact our academics in some way, but it is your responsibility to recuperate.

Please be aware of exactly how many excused absences you have in total and the amount you have already used. Even if you have university excuses, those only excuse you from the class, not the work.

It is imperative as a college student that you become more organized and mentally prepare yourself for change. Unfortunately, your squad can’t be held responsible for your FAFSA being revoked as a result of you failing SAP requirements, but they will be there to help you pack your belongings.

You must eventually become comfortable with studying by yourself and taking the initiative to go to class instead of turning up. It is also highly important that as a student, you allow yourself to relax and get enough sleep.

I am positive that you will have a successful college career as long as you make healthier and wiser decisions in every aspect of your life. Once you have done this, judgment day will just seem like another week of school.