Olivia Hupp talks about resources available to help study for midterms.
Brace yourselves, Bobcats. Midterms are coming. For some of you, they may have already arrived.
It’s hard to believe that we are already closing in on week 7 and have to face the torturous task of studying for midterms. The nice weather we’ve had, coupled with an unwillingness to accept that we are firmly within the clutches of fall semester make this reality even harder to accept. Last weekend, I had three papers to write and a test to prepare for.
When midterms hit, they hit hard.
Getting myself to sit down and actually do work is a struggle — as it is every year around this time. Thank goodness for Alden Library. I always have to take to the confines of the stacks to be able to fully concentrate. But, Alden has so much more to offer than just its presence. Over the years, I have attempted to utilize the resources provided by the university to prepare for exams and write papers, and I have found them to be beneficial.
The writing center on the second floor sits at the top of my list. The lovely men and women who sit at those tables by the entrance are volunteering their time to help critique and provide assistance to those who need help with papers. I have checked it out a couple of times in my college career — even English majors need a little help from time to time — and it is phenomenal. Not only will they sit and read your drafts and provide input, you can also go to them if you need help coming up with a topic to write about. Most of the time, you need to make an appointment ahead of time, but you can also approach tutors to request a walk-in outside of regular walk-in hours (which are typically from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays). These people are phenomenal.
If your midterms happen to be group projects, the study rooms are also great resources to utilize. All you have to do to reserve a room is go to the library’s webpage, click on services and choose Study Rooms. From there, you fill out the information and submit. It’s fast and easy. Since they have plenty of rooms, you’re more than likely not going to get shut out. Most, if not all, of them have projectors to which you can connect your laptop, too. I have used the rooms many times, and it is nice to be able to close yourself off from the rest of the library and knock out a project.
Alden will always be there when you need it. I have found it to be the most productive place to study and get work done. Good luck over the next couple of weeks, Bobcats.
Olivia Hupp is a senior studying English literature and creative writing. Email her about it at oh994610@ohio.edu.
