Late nights, caffeinated beverages, and what seems like endless amounts of homework are some of the main focuses of a college student during the last few weeks of the semester. Between papers and projects with quickly approaching deadlines, it can be a lot to handle in a short amount of time.
Amazingly, some students have a steady grasp on the workload, and know just the steps to take to accomplish everything.
Freshmen broadcast production major Kayla Novak likes to break up her work into accomplishable tasks.
“I have bouts of feeling overwhelmed, but then I calm down and go through one thing at a time,” she said.
Novak has four things left to do before she can have her first year as a Point Park University student in the books. She recommends doing a project then breaking it up by doing something non-school related for a while. Treating yourself to lots of coffee is also part of her advice. Novak’s go to drink is a green tea frapp.
Senior advertising/public relations major Kim Roberts is completing her last semester as an undergraduate. She said she is stressed, but excited because she knows the end is really near.
“When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I go to the gym to clear my head. It’s important to take time to relax even if you feel like you’re too busy for downtime,” she said.
Her advice is to make lists, and take things one step at a time.
Paige Manning is a sophomore pre-med major preparing for three finals next week. Right now, she is feeling calm and has things under control.
“Next week, I’ll probably be feeling overwhelmed because of lack of sleep and a lot of studying,” she said.
Manning listens to music, any genre, to help her relax, calm down, and focus on the tasks at hand.
Students are also juggling other things like jobs, internships, and extracurricular activities on top of all of their schoolwork.
That’s the case for sophomore cinema major Nikki Kalafatis. She works four to five days a week at a restaurant.
 “I have a hard time getting homework done. I’ve had all semester to do a project that’s due Friday, but the edit suite I need to do it in is booked until then,” she said.
Kalafatis said she forgets about time. She pulls lots of all-nighters and does her best to get her work done. Her motto is “whatever happens, happens”.
Jared Smith is a sophomore musical theater major is juggling academic finals, as well as theater finals. They are mostly taking place next week, so his stress levels are pretty under control right now.
He lives off campus, so he has a separation of home and school. He tries to get his homework done while he is on campus, so once he is home, he can relax and watch Netflix.
“If you feel overwhelmed, take a quick break. Figure out what you need, if you’re hungry or tired, take care of it”, he said.
Leslie Bonci, Director of Sports Nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, has similar advice. She wants students to know that keeping their health a priority is very important.
“When you’re feeling stressed, and know that you won’t be eating right or getting enough sleep; it’s important to prepare for it. Drink lots of water, have healthy snacks, and try to go to bed early whenever you can,” she said.
Junior dance major Jasmine Francisco knows a lot about staying healthy between all of her rehearsals and performances occurring all around finals time. She finds time, manages it, and copes with the situation by making lots of lists.
“Stop thinking, breathe, relax, and do one thing at a time. You can’t force it,” she said.
Chris Schwab is a junior cinema major whom is ahead of the game. He thought that all of his finals were this week, when they’re actually next week. He can relax since he has some extra time.
“Students just need to start. Putting something off because it seems so big won’t help you get it finished,” he said.
Students all over campus have their own mechanisms and study habits to accomplish work and finish off the semester. Whether it’s mental clarity, task management and organization, or pulling all-nighters, Point Park University students are ready to tackle everything and say hello to summer.Â