Reasons Why Staying Home is Okay:
1. This parade does happen every year.
Every year. Without fail. As a Soxside Irish gal, I can guarantee that next year they will turn the river Kelly Green again. And again. And again, until orange dye is too expensive for the city of Chicago to afford. Go ahead, promise youself. You’ll go when you aren’t in the midst of an organic chemistry crisis.
2. This parade starts at the crack of dawn and will go all day.
There is no harm in stopping by before lunch for an hour and then getting the hell out of there! There are papers to write, and books to cry on. You do not have time in your day to loiter at a parade.
3. You aren’t even Irish.
If you have no familial or hereditary ties to the holiday, then don’t feel bad about not celebrating! After all, I’m not Polish and, therefore, have nothing to do with Casimir Pulaski day.
Don’t feel bad for staying in holed up the library all day. After all, the tests we’re taking in the five days do count for a significant portion of classes that we do need to graduate. No party is worth becoming a fifth year or losing a scholarhsip, if you have one. But, the St. Paddy’s day parade isn’t evil. In fact, it’s extremely fun and everyone who goes to school in Chicago needs to experience it, but next year plan ahead so you can afford to lose those precious study hours without kicking yourself for it when Monday rolls around.
How to Effectively Manage Time so that You Can Go Next Year [[or whenever you’re legal to drink]]:
1. Use Index Cards, for more than just quizzing yourself
On the Monday before finals start, you should have a pretty good idea of what will be expected of you in the next two weeks. Take twenty minutes to plan out four to six goals that you have for yourself each day. Then, carry the index card with you and make sure you cross everything off before you even think about bed.
2. Multiple Late Nights, instead of one all-nighter
Sure, hitting all of your goals every night might keep you studying until the library closes (2am) for a week, but that’s better than having to camp out in the library when it’s open for 24-hours because you left all of your papers for last because you had a math test the first day.
3. Study for Multiple Days on Multiple Days, multiple deadlines at once
The key to getting through finals is to study for everything at once, instead of just what’s next. Obviously, if you have an accounting test in two hours then stay away from your ethics paper for now. But, in general, find some sources for your ethics paper, then do some practice problems, and then write for your focal point. Using studying as a break from other studying will help get you through the week.
But most importantly:
- Stress will not accomplish assignments more efficiently or with better quality.
- Stress will not raise your grades.
- Giving 110% is all you can ask of yourself, so set realistic goals.
- Get sleep, eat well, and drink plenty of water. Getting sick in finals will reverse all of your hard work studying, after all.