We all know and have experienced the immense panic that sets in as finals week begins. The never ending to do lists, un-healthy amount of espresso in our bodies, and watching the sunrise in the library. The grieving process of this experience (RIP to my GPA) is an emotional roller coaster of sorts. But we do end up prevailing and thankfully make it to three months of warm weather. The stages of finals week grief entail:
Denial As the weeks approach and you can see exam week on the horizon you start to pretend it’s not happening. Those final papers and presentation due dates are not next week. You tell Netflix, “yes I am still watching” because finals week is not happening.
AngerOnce you can’t watch another Grey’s episode without flunking all of your classes, self-loathing sets in. You finally realize that your 20-page paper, cumulative accounting exam, and final presentation are in fact due all on the same day. Don’t let your anger get the best of you and send that heated email to your professor expressing that their class is a waste of your time.
Bargaining This tends to beg the age old question, “how many questions can I get wrong and still pass this exam.” This conversation you have with yourself tends to occur in the wee hours of the morning while still in the library. Unfortunately, if it is necessary for you to score a 160% on your last final to pass, you may need to accept the fact you’ll need to retake the course.
DepressionFinally when you have accepted the fact that you will not be making Dean’s list, or any list for that matter this semester, depression sets in. You had high aspirations for yourself at the beginning of the semester, before you were required to do work. But then you started re-watching One Tree Hill and all hopes of having straight A’s, or any A’s, died.
AcceptanceExam week is here and there is no denying it. You may pull through in some classes and get the grades you hoped for, or you may have to accept it’s just not going to happen. The phrase “can’t win em’ all” is mentioned too many times to count at this point. However C’s do in fact get degrees, sometimes even D’s do, or you can always retake the class. That being said this is the final grieving process for your GPA. There is always next semester to accomplish those goals you set for yourself, but more likely you will repeat this process once again.
Hopefully everyone is able to make it through this heinous weak with some of their sanity still in tact. Even though finals may be the worst form of torture there is the best reward is at the end, 3 months of library free nights. If you are stressing just remember that everyone is equally in as much agony, and as High School Musical said, “we are all in this together.”