Before summer begins and another school year ends, college students across the country are taking on the beast known as finals week. Staying up late and resting your entire semester grade on one exam can be daunting for many. Students respond to the pressure in different ways. Some experience general anxiety while others get test anxiety. And some even have the power to stay calm during intense moments like finals week.
Students at Kansas State University use various coping strategies during finals week. Sophomore Allison Stutterheim, majoring in pre-nursing, likes to stay active when she starts feeling the stress of taking a final exam.
“I like going on Green Apple Bike rides with friends, watching an episode of The Office (as a break), and going to the rec #getbig,” she said.
Exercise is an effective way to deal with any stressful moment, not just during finals week. When exercising, our body produces endorphins which generate a happy feeling in our brain. Listening to music helps make some people happy. Grant Thompson, a sophomore majoring in public relations, and Madison Jenson, a freshman majoring in human development and family sciences both agree that music is their stress reliever.
“I always lie down and listen to music or watch TV. Laying down helps me feel better physically because it helps both my body and mind slow down. Having music or the TV on also helps take my mind off of whatever stress I’m dealing with,” Grant said.
Feeling prepared going into finals week is everyone’s goal. With so many assignments due at one time, something is bound to go wrong. For Allison Stutterheim, her active coping mechanism kicked in during finals week last year.
“Last year I forgot my student ID. I had to sprint back to my dorm room to get it and almost missed my final,” she said now laughing about this moment.
Final exams at Kansas State aren’t always held in the same room where you attended class. In addition to preparing for the exam, you also have to ensure you go to the right room. For Grant Thompson, wondering through a hall for the first time was not a good idea to tackle during finals week.
“The finals week during my second semester freshman year, my friend Emma (DeMaranville) and I both had a Spanish final at 7:30 A.M. in Cardwell Hall. Neither of us had ever set foot in Cardwell before. When we went inside, we were so lost and it took forever to find the room. We walked into a huge lecture hall and took our seats. We were looking around and didn’t see anyone from our class in the lecture hall. Finally, we looked at the board and saw that we were about the take the wrong final! So with only 5 minutes until the final started, we gathered our things and bolted to the right lecture hall. Thankfully, we made it in time,” Grant said.
Dealing with stress of finals week can be manageable. Freshman Madison Jensen having only experienced finals week once so far in college, says making sure she is well prepared is vital for her success.
“I think I have test anxiety when my grade heavily relies on that test’s grade. So finals week stresses me out because letter grades can change very easily. If I have studied and feel confident, I don’t usually have much anxiety,” she said.
So before you find yourself reaching the breaking point, consider taking a break. Get yourself centered and back on track to finish the year strong.
