College of Liberal Arts
University of Minnesota
Twin Cities Campus
101 Pleasant St SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Alex's Blog

Over the Hump

I've been holding my breath through the storm of midterms, and with a final sigh, the clouds pass.

This time, it was a happy release because I feel I prepared well for the three midterms. Instead of stressing out at the last minute, I have been trying an ancient method professors call "study as you go."
Now it may sound complex, but the idea is relatively simple. Whenever I get some free time or have caught up on all my readings, I go back and quiz myself on previous chapters.

A study recently came out in the University of Minnesota's student-run newspaper, The Minnesota Daily, linking stress symptoms to bad grades. I can definitely attest to the loss in sleep, constant frustration, and empty cans of Red Bull at 1 in the morning as the cause of a midterm gone very wrong.

I've learned that sleep is more important than theories and a healthy diet is more important than vocabulary words. I can promise I will never return to my old ways of cramming and panicking for tests. I now relax, take a deep breath, and rest assured that I did my best.

October 25th, 2008
Picture of Alex
  • Class & major: junior; strategic communications
  • Hometown: Maple Grove, Minnesota
  • Groups or Activities: Business Association for Multicultural Students, MN Girls Lacrosse, Maple Grove Ambassador
  • Favorite Hangout on Campus: Espresso Expose because it's open until midnight and is the perfect place to people watch and get inspiration for late night homework.
  • Favorite Quote: "Sometimes you have to assemble the wings on the way down. "My dad
  • Why a liberal arts degree: The people in CLA are so diverse and are interested in a variety of career fields. Meeting people outside your major can open doors you never thought you'd explore.