Dead week and finals week. These two weeks out of a college semester are known to be the worst days of a student's life. Countless hours studying, stressing, and a lack of sleep turns students into lifeless shells of who they were only a few weeks prior. These are the weeks that kill us, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

During no other time of the year is there so much pressure on students to take care of themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally. Posters that encourage students to take a quick study break, get some sleep, and drink water are EVERYWHERE. Some students don't follow these tips, but for those who do, dead week is nothing to worry about.

At Iowa State, you can go to Barks at Parks, which is arguably the best thing ever. It's only offered during dead week, so I consider it to be positive. Who wouldn't want to play with dogs instead of studying?

Another pro of dead week is that everyone is quiet and minds their own business. With 23/7 quiet hours in residence halls and other housing options, you have peace of mind. I know that some people like having background noise, but there are solutions to that. You can put in some headphones and play music or go to one of the dining centers or cafes.

There are places for everyone, no matter what your studying preference is. Since dead week means no new assignments other than what was already on the syllabus, you don't have to worry about surprises. You still have to go to class with whatever homework was assigned, but at least there's not the stress of whether or not there's a pop quiz.

If you want to go out and party instead of studying, that's your own choice and people respect that because finals are stressful. But if you have a friend that invites you to go out with them and you don't want to go, you have an automatic excuse! Just say "oh I can't, I have to study" and your friend will understand because hey, it's dead week.

Everyone handles stress differently, and everyone studies differently. If you're like me, you haven't started your essays yet; not out of laziness, but because the last-minute rush of having something due in 10 hours motivates you to get it done. Some people get essays done a week in advance and turn them in during dead week so that they don't have to worry about it during finals week.

I understand that thought process and wanting to get it done, and I respect people who can do that--I'm just not one of those people. I love dead week because it allows me to stay up until 3 am without feeling bad about it, and I know I can get everything done without being stressed too much.

I hope everyone has a great week and good luck on finals!