Have you failed a midterm? Has it ever given you nightmares, whether that nightmare could have been extremely exaggerated or super realistic? Well, first of all take a deep breath, exhale and do not panic. Despite feeling otherwise, it is not the end of the world. One bad grade can be fixed. One of the first steps is to look at your lecture notes and textbook to see if you can identify what you did wrong on the midterm. After that, go talk to your professor, they can help you figure out things you didn’t quite understand when you took the midterm in the first place. Create a plan of action to tackle the problems areas you have identified, collaborate with your professor and find ways to improve.

You can also make appointments with various academic tutors or advisors at student services to get a bit of extra help. Join a study group, find someone who took the class previously to give you some tips, or explore the many other on campus and online resources available to help you out. There is someone out there who can help you before and after a midterm.

If the grade is bad enough that you feel you can’t recover, then it may even be time to consider dropping the class. Depending how late in the year you make this decision, it may be too late into the semester and you may have to take another swing at it next year. There’s no shame in accepting a temporary defeat as long as you learn from it and put together a plan for success the next time.

Just remember to look at all your options before you decide anything about the class, midterm and overall G.P.A. Don’t let the anxiety and nightmares of it get to you. It only seems spooky if you believe it is.