Finals are probably one and if not the most stressful thing a college student can go through. The whole week and week leading up to is just cringy and stressful and just not fun. But for myself, de-stressing the easiest way would be to watch Disney movies. If you know me, I LOVE Disney movies. So why not explain something terrible with something enjoyable... that has to cancel out the terribleness... right?
1. The Week Leading to Finals
This week can be the busiest week because it is almost the last day and all of the professors are expecting you to do presentations, projects, papers, test, homework, and quizzes all while you're trying to get your notes together to help you study.
2. Last Day of Classes
WHOOO! It's the last day of classes! No more test, homework, quizzes! But wait, this means now it's finals week....more studying, crying, all-nighters...
3. Reading Day
If your school doesn't have Reading Day, it is pretty much the day before finals exactly start. This gives students who have a final on the first a full day to study and get it together. It is a day of review or a day to learn everything from day 1.
4. Walking Into the First Final
This is it...the first final you have to take. This is your time to shine, just try not to overthink. If you overthink, then you'll think you didn't learn enough or you'll worry about the one thing you didn't study. So you'll keep studying until the last minute and it may take a friend or two to drag you to your final
5. Taking the Final
You've got this! Time to show the professor that you totally understand the subject. Unfortunately, this happens more ofter than you would like... you open the test, get ready to read the first question and blank. After hours or studying, you blank. But don't worry, just take a minute, calm down if your stressed and breath. The rest of the test will come to you in time.
6. The Cool Down From the First Final
That wasn't so bad, was it? Now you've got one final under your belt and are totally prepared for the rest of them. Take this free time to destress, relax, and give yourself some credit.
7. Studying For the Rest of the Finals
Now after you've calmed down, it hits you... you have more of these to go through. You either start to stress or run to the library to start studying either by yourself or with a group. But by the end of hour 7 of studying, it starts to get a little repetitive...
8. Pulling All-Nighters to Study Even More
You start to realize that you aren't going to be able to study EVERYTHING in 16 hours and sleep for 8 hours... what to do? Pull an all-nighter to study everything. There are 24+ hours to study and understand the material if you don't sleep. Besides you can always nap after the exam. (I am not condoning all-nighter but I do understand from experience)
9. The Amount of Caffeine and Coffee Running Through Your Veins
You're pretty sure by hour 23 or 24, you lost count a while back, that your could bleed coffee. All that is keeping you awake is the caffeine and coffee and the fact that your heart stopped beating a few hours ago. But at least you know the material.
10. Stressing Over Not Knowing the Information
After spending 24+ hours learning the material, it's time for the next exam. You go in still shaking from your caffeine high but totally prepared. But then your brain goes into "Overthink" mode and you worry if you truly know the material or if this is the 7th Monster you had last night speaking. You then start to think the worse such as "If I fail this, I have to be a hobo" or "I'll never leave college because I can't pass this final". This is normal. BREATH!
Repeat #8-10 until you're at your...
11. Last Final
The final final. The last one! You've spent all week studying for the last one. You can feel the holiday break starting. All your bags are packed and as soon as you are done here, you're out! But don't let the thoughts of break cloud your judgment, you still have to do well here. Go into the final confident with yourself and finish strong.
12. The Day After
You're done... You've made it through all of your finals! Time to come down from your caffeine high and sleep. You head home in the fact that you did the best you could and nothing can change that. You can rest easy knowing that you don't have to take finals for an entire semester.
And that is finals week. From beginning to end. All the coffee, stress, breakdowns, and excitement all done. It may feel like a lot but, as everyone says, just do the best you can do and be happy with that. If you give your best, then you know you did as well as you could possibly do.
