There we were, happily floating along, enjoying the semester, a test here, a paper there… totally unaware of the tidal wave of work about to destroy our lives. Well, that was a little dramatic. It’s the dreaded part of the semester folks. These 1-2 weeks before finals is the time where professors are endlessly bombarding us with work that needs to be done by the end of the semester. In the next two weeks, we will face long end of term papers, chapters of information crammed into single tests, and mind-numbing, hand-cramping class periods where material is pelted at us at warp speed, making up for snow days and class cancellations. In this terribly difficult time, there are a few stages every college student goes through. Well, as I write this down, I realize that these are literally the stages of grief.
1. Panic
You’re looking at your agenda… the once color-coded, organized, neatly-written, temple of sanity… now a jumble of messy scribbles in pencil, black and blue pen, oh, is that crayon? (You’ve lost the beautiful colored pens you used at the beginning of the semester.) Your heart begins to race, sweat begins to bead on your upper lip, and you head feels like it is going to explode. This is the panic stage. When you look at the due dates on the page, this feeling of panic starts creeping through your body. Tips for this stage: shut your agenda, take a deep breath, and it will be over soon.
2. Denial
Oh whatever, I’ll worry about it later. This can’t be that bad. My professors wouldn’t do this to me. Enjoy this stage for as long as it lasts. Ignorance is bliss, my friends.
3. Anger
This might occur at about 10 p.m. the night before your first paper or test. As you struggle to cram information into your brain or words onto a page, you find yourself spiraling into a tornado of rage. The mere thought that you have this much work to do or information to learn in such little time makes you want to scream. Tips for this stage: deep breaths, don’t hurt yourself, but get it out. Punch a pillow, run a lap, dance it out until you’re ready to start again.
4. Bargaining
This occurs after the anger stage. You tell yourself that you will literally do anything to pass this assignment. At this point, you are considering scraping up the change on the bottom of your car to bribe your professor (because that’s about all the cash you have left). Unfortunately, your professors definitely will not accept bribes, go use that spare change to buy yourself some junk food out of the vending machine to cheer yourself up. You deserve it.
5. Acceptance
Now you’ve accepted the fact that you’re just going to have to grind it out. It may not be pretty, but you finally get yourself in the zone to get this work done. Celebrate the fact that you’ve gotten past the emotional stages and go for it! Now you just have to lock yourself in your room until you’ve finished. After you’re done pat yourself on the back because you’ve done it! It’s over!
6. Joy
Keep in mind that this stage only comes at the very end of the semester. This feeling is the best in the entire world. You’ve been beaten and battered with work, your brain is fried. Now is the real time to celebrate. Whether that’s sleeping it off or heading to the beach, congrats! The semester is over!
