So, despite it seeming like this incredible trash heap of a year would never end, we have somehow come to the end of 2016. At this point, we're in the home stretch with just one thing standing in our way before winter break and holiday relaxation: finals.

If you're like me, you're really good at pretending like finals simply do not exist for a majority of the semester. In fact, finals aren't even really on your radar until they're suddenly closing in, descending upon you like vultures eager to peck at your flesh as you cry out, still barely alive. Sorry, that's a bit morbid. Maybe the journey to finals is more like this for you: you're chilling in a nice hot tub, relaxing without a care and then suddenly you blink and find yourself in the middle of a vast ocean, not realizing you're drowning until your lungs start filling up. That's also too morbid, isn't it? Oh well. 'Tis the season.

Okay, I know I'm being dramatic. You'd think that after all my years in education, I would've learned to better deal with my finals-related anxieties, but, no. Instead, I'm stuck wondering if it might just be better to lay face-down in the middle of a busy intersection until I meld with the earth.

To make myself feel better about my impending doom, I have decided to put together a little playlist full of songs that I believe fully capture the essence of what finals season is all about.

1. O Fortuna

Honestly, there is no song that quite encapsulates that particular sense of foreboding and inevitable demise like this first movement from Carmina Burana. If you've already given up, check out this piece before you head off to take your first final.

2. Theme from "Halloween"

Stressed about finals and now the feeling in manifesting in irrational fear of finding a serial killer in your closet? Or maybe you're feeling like you're wanting to be murdered by a dude in a William Shatner mask? Either way, this song is perfect for you!

3. Hurt - Johnny Cash

What have we all become? What difference will finals make when everything we do just amounts to an empire of dirt in the end? This song will have you questioning your entire life before you've even lived it. Plus, this works super well if you need a good cathartic cry.

4. Theme from "Psycho" (Shower Scene)

The soundtrack to this iconic Hitchcock scene is the perfect song to punctuate the relentless pulsing anxiety that is thrumming through your veins. As a bonus, watch the actual scene to get the full horrifying effect of Janet Leigh's screams and maybe add a few of your own.

5. Mad World - Gary Jules

For when you've reached a fugue-like state of expressionless complacency as you watch your world unfold through unseeing eyes, this song is essential. Nothing else will make you question your very existence in this world like Jules' soft, despondent voice. In the end, isn't it all kinda funny and kinda sad?

6. Theme from "Jaws"

If you're looking for another song to exemplify the inevitable destruction and death headed your way, look no further. Even if you are nowhere near a body of water, this song will have you worrying about even the tiniest puddles and what kind of monster may reside inside. To be honest, a shark attack seems preferable to the horror of seeing a blank test staring back at you.

7. Sounds of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel

Hello, darkness, my old friend. No better song exists for when you need to wallow alone in the dark with nothing but your thoughts. On the upside, at least darkness won't judge you for definitely not being prepared enough for that last test.

8. In the End - Linkin Park

Finals are over. You are standing in the middle of the storm, watching your life crumble around you. You see nothing but desolation for miles. Destruction reigns. However, at this point, you have come to realize that none of it makes a difference. What's done is done. You tried so hard, but in the end, it just didn't matter. Go home. Enjoy some egg nog. You've fought the fight.