We can agree that finals week is stressful for us all. Do you ever wonder how other students are capable of managing the anxiety from this dreaded part of the semester? Instead of me giving my personal opinion on how I stay focused during finals, I decided to interview my friends and share their opinions. Here are the answers and advice from my peers.
Ally Mall said, “I would say the most important thing to do is manage your time! If you stay organized and give yourself plenty of time to work on projects, you’ll be a lot less stressed and you won’t feel overwhelmed. If I didn’t get the grade I wanted, it’s usually because I didn’t manage my time and I cracked under the pressure. But when I stay organized and give myself plenty of time to work on stuff, I can make everything perfect before I have to turn it in!”
Tia Nicholson explained, “I would just say that it’s really important to find a balance with your priorities! Don’t push everything off until the last minute because you’ll end up miserable and cramming rarely works. Though, it’s also important to take care of yourself and focus on your mental health. Reserve some time to continue doing the things you enjoy. Don’t push yourself too hard.”
Jamie Gunthner noted, “A piece of advice I would give to other students during finals week is to schedule time for yourself to study or complete papers. Looking at all of the work may be intimidating but by breaking the workload into sections, it seems more manageable.”
Katie Voorneveld stated, “I would tell students to remember that a grade does not define you. Study hard and do your best, but the letter grade result of your efforts does not determine who you are, what you’re worth or how successful you will become.”
Celine Boulay said, “I’d say my best advice is to make a calendar for the whole week and block in your exam times and then fill in the blanks with times to study throughout the week. I also find it helps to color-code your classes. Make sure to include time to relax and get away from school, so you don’t get overwhelmed.”
It appears that prioritizing your time and letting go of the pressure that is constantly building when striving for good grades can lead to the success we aim for. It’s best to study, ask questions and give it your all; this is a conscious decision. Being hard on yourself for doing your best is pointless. When I complete my finals, I will be proud of myself for making the right decisions before, mentally and academically. I really enjoyed discovering that each of us has different ways of approaching important exams, papers or projects. Inevitably, we have the same goal in mind: success.
Thank you to each of these women for giving me responses that were unique, informative and enlightened me to take on finals week with a different mindset. Study hard, be kind to yourself and finish this Spring semester off strong!
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