As we all know, during finals week, us college kids usually have the tendency to be a little bit scatterbrained, a lot stressed and extremely forgetful. We’re all so focused on finals that we neglect some of our other responsibilites! Check out this end-of-year to-do list, and feel free to make and add your own tips!
1. Return/sell your books
This is something I always forget to do until the very last minute. It’s so important to return your rented books or to try and sell them back to the bookstore. The best time to do this is right after each of your finals when you’ve officially completeled the course and know you won’t be reading the text anymore. During the random times of the days are also the times where you’ll run into the smallest line.
2. Start to pack
This is also something I always save until I’m done with finals–and it’s awful and definitely not something I’d suggest doing. It’s always such a great feeling to be completely done with your semester and not have anything to do, so make sure you pack before you experience this euphoric feeling! If you have to go back after your last final and pack, you’re going to be bummed, tired and totally unmotivated to do anything but lay in your bed. My advice is to use packing as a procrastination tool while you’re studying!
3. Make time to say goodbye to your friends
Your roommates, friends and classmates will be all as equally as busy as you are studying, packing and getting the heck out of here, so make sure you schedule some time to say goodbye! You don’t want to miss the opportunity to give them one last hug until reuniting for the new school year.
4. Write personalized thank you cards/emails to your professors
Maybe you loved your professors, or maybe you hated your professors. Either way, they deserve a thank you. Not every teacher is going to work with your learning style or with your busy schedule, but they are there to teach you and that’s what they’ve done all semester. They have a hard job, at times, and deserve a thank you. Doing this also allows you to be kept in a good place in their minds if you ever need a recommendation letter in the future!
5. Email your teachers for the upcoming year to start a good relationship
That being said, you should get off on the right foot with your upcoming professors, too! Nothing beats going in on the first day and getting a warm smile from your teacher. It’ll also help later on in the semester if you ever need help on a test, project or homework–they’ll be there for you and give you some respect back.
6. Give thank you presents/notes to your RA’s
RA’s are busy college students with homework, projects, tests, organizations and stress. But, on top of all that, they were there for you throughout the year whenever you needed, tried to make your on-campus stay a pleasant one and did all they could to stay caught up with you and the rest of the people in the dorm. Just like your professors, they deserve a thank you card or even a little present. Something as simple as a box of chocolates, I’m sure, would make their days!
7. Clean your dorm
Bottom line, you don’t want to be fined for any stains, messes or dirt leftover in your dorm during the summer. You also probably don’t (and shouldn’t!) want to make it harder for the janitors who are cleaning over 100 rooms after everyone leaves, trying to get it ready for the orientation groups and future residents. So, grab a paper towel, some spray and wipe everything down!
8. Put your ID somewhere that you won’t lose
I have lost my WU ID more times than I probably should have, and every time you lose it, you have to buy another one. And unfortunately, the price goes up every time you need a new ID. So my advice to you, is to keep your ID somewhere that you’ll be able to find when you return to campus in a few months! Even if you’re moving off-campus, you still need an ID to use for Cafe Cash, Thompson and Cultural Events, so put it in a safe place for the summer!
9. Print out your schedule for the next semester
Every time I leave school for vacation, I always forget what I’m taking for the next semester. The best thing to do is to print out your schedule and get as prepared as you can for your upcoming courses! Look up some introduction explanation videos, take some notes (mental and handwritten) and buy your books early! It’s always an awesome feeling going into a classroom feeling prepared and confident to complete the course with an A+.
Good luck on finals, Collegiettes and try your best to remember all of these important semester-ending factors!