Midterm Madness

Written by: Hahyeon(Summer) Kim

      As if our plates aren’t full enough, midterm season is just around the corner. In about a week or two, we’ll be graded—yet again. The thought of getting a bad or even mediocre grade already stresses me out. The stress I’m feeling right now could go either way: push me to get better results or cause a meltdown. I’ve had my fair share of the latter and have been struggling to find a solution. Since I’m still on the search for one, let me take you along.

     According to the Fall 2024 National College Health Assessment Report by NCHA (National College Health Assessment), 30% of students reported that anxiety negatively impacted their academics. That’s about 3 in 10 students whose academic careers are being affected by anxiety. Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure. Anxiety is not the same as being afraid or feeling fear; fear is short-lived, whereas anxiety is long-acting.

     When I get anxious, my palms get sweaty and my voice trembles. This doesn’t help during exams, presentations, or even first dates. But a few years ago, it got worse. I had a full-on anxiety attack right before an exam. I couldn’t even make it into the building—I froze. My chest tightened, my breathing became shallow, and everything felt surreal, like I wasn’t even in my own body. I ended up missing the test completely. After that, I didn’t want to go to school at all. I spiraled. It felt like one failure confirmed all my worst fears about myself.

     That experience shook me. But it also made me realize I needed to actively work on managing my anxiety. I started trying out different coping methods—not just to avoid another meltdown, but to feel like I had some control again.

     Socializing – Sure, socializing during exam season may not seem like the best idea, but a couple of hours of chatting can’t do too much harm. Have a tea break with your bestie, sibling, or whoever you feel comfortable with. When my thoughts get to me, I ask for advice from my friends. It’s not just venting; it’s like writing in my diary. When I spit my “problems” out, I realize that half of them are nonsense. I soon realized that my anxiety made me illogical, causing me to spiral into further chaos. So, socialize and talk to someone when you feel lost and alone.

      Stretching – Moving your muscles in general is recommended as an anxiety coping method by professionals, too. Jogging or working out might be better, but I don’t have that much free time during exam season. So stretching it is. I do simple movements such as touching my toes and try to focus on how my muscles feel (it’s usually painful because I’m stiff). This helps me get my mind off things, and I think more blood starts streaming into my brain.

      Although I only introduced two methods, there’s more helpful content on YouTube—so don’t hesitate to search for it. And remember, there’s always professional help, even at our school! The HYU Counseling Center is open from 10 AM to 5 PM, and until 9 PM on Mondays and Thursdays. I hope you all reap A’s only at the end of this semester!