The Midterms Aftermath

The third issue of term has come out a lot more quickly than the second, eh? By one entire week, actually, so hopefully the wait hasn’t been as bad for you, dear readers. Once again we are in a new month, though— the somber month of November.
In this issue, we have a wonderful assortment of goodies waiting for you, including Raeesa’s thought-provoking piece “What Happened to the Horse and Buggy?”, which speaks about the technology of today and how much of an impact is has on our culture and growth as humans. Leah and Gabrielle have been kind enough to share stories of their own family members in a special Remembrance Day article, while Donovan speaks about how engineering students can benefit from having a creative hobby or two outside of their studies.
As for columns, this week Tina covers several acoustic treats in On Replay, while Donovan laments the wonder that was Ultimate Comics in Between the Pages. In Leafy Thoughts Nina covers the devastation of Hurricanes, while a special Halloween edition of Caitlin’s Things You Don’t Want to Know treats us to a variety of folklore that are horrifying in more than one way. Be sure to check them all out. as well as our other returning columns (no bias but ChemHistory also has an interesting subject this week, wink wink).
Actually, come to think of it, sombre is one of the only words that describe November, is it not? Some of the darkness from Halloween seems to drag across the midnight hour between October 31 and November 1. Most of the vibrant leaves have already fallen from the trees by this point, now they are caked with mud on the ground, and leaving empty branches painting the skyline like bony fingers. There’s also a more serious tone that comes with Remembrance Day— the only significant occasion of the month for us dear Canadians.
Well, I still stand by it that I far prefer our October Thanksgiving to the November one the Americans celebrate, as it feels like too many turkey meals in a short span of time.
But I digress, do not let the somber tone of November press on you— after all, both hell weeks have finally ended! Or… mmmmaybe that’s not something that I should mention if I wish to raise your spirits. After all, for many of us (first year or upper year), midterms are somewhat of a wake-up call for our status in a given class, or of our performance in the term as a whole. And it most certainly is not always a welcome one.
Actually, who ever welcomes a wake up call? Most of us would much rather stay in our blissful sleep, unaware of the reality of the world to which we have closed our eyes.
Sadly, in that regard, we can’t simply turn a blind eye to the troubles that await us. We have to accept the reality and face the music of the situation we are in.
So. Maybe you’re in a pickle. What next?
I had half a mind to write out an “x steps to identifying and solving your problems”, simply because solving most issues follows the same “analyse, identify, isolate, and act” skeleton. But most people are aware of the methodology of solving issues, so repeating the same tired advice probably isn’t really all that helpful to you.
Trying to motivate you with words might not be helpful either, because I’m certain that everyone has thrown the same phrases at you time and time again. Even further over-saturation in that department doesn’t help your situation at all.
So, what advice can I offer?
I suppose just the knowledge that many, many others have been in your position before you, and were able to succeed. Some might even have been in worse positions than you, as hard as it might be to imagine. Historic evidence shows that the goal you have in mind is entirely possible to achieve, so act under the knowledge that you too can follow the trend of success.
Next advice I can offer is to recommend perspective on your issues. How many of your stresses are only temporary? Often, stresses are high-intensity, but short term. Remind yourself that the difficulties you are going through right now will, in fact, come to pass eventually. If things don’t seem fine now, keep your head high with the knowledge that things do, usually, get better with time.
Of course, that’s not without it’s own warnings— you will still need to make adjustments if you want to see any major improvements in your problems. Be it in your academic grades, your job status, or your social life, there are always at least small improvements that you can make to help facilitate growth in the areas you most wish to improve.
For example— if you find your grades somewhat lacking, and have identified that your study habits need work, maybe you simply need to allocate more time for studying, or need to discover a studying routine that better suits your own style of learning.
Maybe you procrastinate on assignments excessively (I know I certainly do…) and need to schedule dedicated ‘distraction’ breaks in order to successfully complete your work on time. I can’t tell you exactly what you need to do, only that you likely need to do it.
And no, I’m going to avoid referencing the Shia Laboeuf meme.
Be sure to not forget that there are a multitude of services available on campus if you find yourself having difficulty in any aspect of your life, academic or not. Between counselling, CECA services, and events run by EngSoc and other societies, there is always something going on that may just be the thing you need to improve your current situation. Be sure to take advantage of these events and services while they are available to you as an undergraduate!
But when it comes down to it, remember that any of the frustration that you may be feeling right now is not just wasted energy, and not intended to weigh you down. Frustration is fuel— fuel to improve yourself, to learn from your past, and to motivate you to not repeat the same mistakes.
At the same time, don’t let your frustration get you down too much though. No matter what you might think, you still need to give yourself a break, and even treat yourself once in a while. Be it going out for a meal (I’d recommend sushi myself, makes for a nice treat), having a movie/video game night with some friends, or just listening to music for a while, make sure to take the time to truly enjoy yourself and take a break. Especially after the long, grueling time of midterms, you deserve something nice.
Yes, even if you did absolutely horribly. Actually, especially if you did horribly. Don’t be too hard on yourself; everyone falters and stumbles from time to time.
View the second half of term as the opportunity for new beginnings, and to right any mistakes that you have noticed in yourself, and improvement should certainly come your way. It may not come quickly, but don’t let that discourage you. Patience and commitment are often met with great reward.
With regards to midterms, you can use this time to set goals for yourself, now that you have an idea of where you sit in terms of your academic standing. Remember to keep yourself in perspective of those goals, rather than the expectations or standards of others. While it can be tempting to compare ourselves to those around us, remember the old idiom: comparison is the thief of joy. Your goals should be dictated by you, not those around you.
The future is yours to decide. Take this opportunity to change it for the better.