Dead Week.
It got its name from the sea of zombie-like students trolling the campus and camping out in the library in the waning hours until finals.
As Winter Term comes to an end and the looming test of strength and willpower that is Dead Week arrives, remember that you're not alone.
Monday:
You still have your sh*t together and haven't let the stress of finals get to you. You have to-do lists, check lists, wishlists, sub-lists, side-lists, a sleeping schedule, an eating schedule, and a study guide for every class.
You've got this; you'll start your studying tonight and get a good night's sleep all week.
Tuesday:
You stayed up late last night reading your hundredth Buzzfeed listicle and putting off reading the five chapters you assigned for last night. You got halfway through Chapter 2 before your roommate came in, and you spent half the night buried in a scary, deep YouTube hole.
You wake up in a strange mixture of shame, guilt, and exhaustion.
Wednesday:
You're hungover from the Tequila Tuesday you rewarded yourself with for rewriting your study guide for your Biology final. You also made note cards, but only wrote the words and not their key points and definitions, and then decided your brain needed to recharge.
You also followed up your tequila marathon with a late night smoke and FIFA session, pouring yourself into bed at around 2 in the morning, and you're pretty sure you still smell of liquor as you arrive late to your 9 a.m. class.
Thursday:
You spent the afternoon working on papers and catching up on those late assignments you've been telling yourself all term you would work on. You are halfway through your studying to-do list and decide it's time to reward yourself. You order a pizza, or Chinese, or Jimmy John's—or all three—and settle in for hours of Neflix marathons.
You're halfway through "Gossip Girl" when you remember the extra credit assignment due at midnight and the discussion response paper due by 7 a.m.
Mild panic sets in.
Friday:
The weekend is finally here and you know it's time to get serious. Your first final is only days away and you're determined to go into it with only the average amount of student's stress. You ignore the small moments of sunshine and pick out a spot in the library and begin where you let off, at Chapter 2.
But then you hear of a party that night and that your friends are at happy hour and hey, what the hell, you can always study tomorrow morning when you're hung over, right?
Saturday:
You wake up at noon, hung over, to a text from your BFF Monica asking if you want grab brunch with Rachel, Phoebe, and the guys. You say 'yes' but commit to spending the rest of the weekend studying.
Two mimosas and a Bloody Mary later, you're cooped up in your room trying to make sense of the Calculus notes you took at the review. The alcohol starts to make you sleepy and you decide that a power nap is just what you need to get your brain working.
Sunday:
You wake up at 7 a.m., stock up on coffee and energy drinks, and pick out your camp in the library. You switch between ordering pizza, Jimmy John's, and Chinese for your three meals and take power naps on your books between assignments. You are dedicated to staying here until your last final and have successfully recruited allies in your fight to defeat your finals.
This is not your best week as far as appearance goes... or hygiene.
Good luck with finals!
