Dear anyone currently taking finals,
Hang in there. One day this will all be worth it. Right now you may want to pull your hair out or punch a hole in a wall. You may be feeling more stressed than you ever have in your entire life, but that is okay. This is making you stronger, it's helping you achieve your goals. Finals are a part of life and although they suck they also mean you are one step closer. You are one step closer to be being done with that one class you hate. You are one step closer to the end of the semester and eventually the year. You are one step closer to being an adult.
Before you can be an adult, you have to be a kid first. Make sure you don’t miss life because you're studying. Make sure you take study breaks. Take breaks to breathe, take breaks to get dinner with friends, take breaks to call your mom. It will not be the end of the world. You may see finals as a last ditch effort to save your GPA when really you just need to try your best. I’m not advocating for slacking off, you need to study and study hard, but you shouldn’t kill yourself over it because at the end of the day it is one test in one class. And odds are you will most likely never talk about these finals specifically anyway.
Group project finals are even more nerve-wracking than tests. Your grade doesn’t depend on just you, but also your peers. You have even less control over them, so just do your part of it and be prepared to talk to your professor. I promise they aren’t as scary as you think. Don’t be afraid to ask them why you haven’t received the grade you thought you deserved. Be prepared to state your case, I promise they will remember the maturity you show by asking. By asking, you take control of your life.
That being said, you can’t just not study. Please study, but make sure you are doing it right and in ways that work for you. Start early because cramming is never fun.
Make yourself a study schedule if you need too.
Make sure you take breaks and PLEASE get enough sleep. Rest helps you focus which is just as important as knowing the material. Take it one test at a time and know that you can do it. You need to be your biggest fan or no one else will. Making yourself proud is the most important thing you can do.
It’s time to buckle down and work hard and watch the results come to life. You are almost done. I promise you that you can do this. Soon you will be home and have a whole month with no assignments, so put all of your effort in now and recover later. Stop doubting yourself. Prove to yourself that you are stronger than you thought. Breathe and rest and live a little. Don’t let finals get the best of you. You will kill them.
