Student Blog: Surviving Midterms While Performing!

A challenge I recently faced was prepping for midterms while in the peak of the rehearsal process for a show.  Right now, I'm in the process of rehearsing for William Finn's A New Brain, a musical I'd describe as being about trauma, rebirth, and healing. I play Nancy D./Waitress!

At Northwestern University, the student theatre rehearsal process is Monday - Thursday, 6-10pm and Saturdays 12 - 4pm. With that on top of a quarter system course load, the arise of midterms can lead to a lot of stress. Setting aside dedicated time in my schedule is super important to me. Otherwise, I find myself getting wrapped up in my other activities or homework, and then panicking at the last minute to learn all the material for my exams. I also like to set reminders on my phone, so that I get an active alert reminding me to study. I think these tools are super helpful for people who have a lot on their plates.

As far as studying for midterms go, I find the most effective way for me to study is repetition. I handwrite my own study guides based off of the notes I took in class. By repetitively writing information on a page, it helps me remember the specifics, or things that I might have missed during the initial lecture. It truly connects the dots on each topic covered. 

Although rehearsals for my show go fairly late in the evening, I do usually stay up and study afterwards. I am not much of a morning person, so waking up super early and studying isn't effective for me, as most of what I will have looked at will be forgotten by lunch. Additionally, I am lucky enough to have very few Friday classes, so my Fridays are also dedicated to studying and preparing. For me, it is all about creating a balanced schedule. When I can see a schedule laid out in front of me, I can visualize how my week will proceed, and where I can reserve time for studying as well as any rehearsing outside of the designated rehearsals. However, with late nights comes the inevitable tiredness. I am not a coffee drinker, so I usually turn to tea for a caffeine source. I also am a huge fan of Liquid IV electrolytes to keep my energy up throughout the day so I don't bottom out. 
Something else to keep note of, midterm season is also prime time to get sick. Drinking electrolytes as well as eating healthy meals is a classic, but effective way to avoid the sickness that always seems to be catching across campus. Side note: I tried a ginger shot for the first time the other day, and that was NOT for me!

Most importantly, studying for midterms while rehearsing can take a lot out of a person. Maintaining healthy habits outside of both proves to be good for the mind and the body, so I encourage you all to take care of yourselves through this stressful time! You got this, and go crush those midterms!