It's a well-known fact that finals week is a tumultuous time filled with extreme highs and lows. It's one high stakes, unforgiving and potentially GPA-altering week. It can, and will, make or break you.
But don't worry because, either way, at the end of this week, you are free.
So whether you're curled in the fetal position under your desk at the library, crying, at 4 a.m. or crushing your calc final, the cast of Friends is here to walk you through the five stages of finals week.
1. Denial.
Finals schminals. This is your last week of college before you and your friends head back home and go your separate ways for the summer. Who cares if you have five tests coming up? Who cares if your GPA drops faster than a group of middle school girls when "Pop, Lock and Drop It" comes on at a mixer? You're going to go out every gosh darn night this week, and there is nothing that can stop you. 'TIL THE BREAK OF DAWN, YO!
2. Anger.
This is the most difficult stage to experience. The flood of anger that suddenly washes over your tired body is a mixture of self-hate for going out and partying instead of staying in and studying for your finals, as well as sheer frustration at the fact that you actually have to take finals. Whose idea was this anyway? Who decided to administer this massive, life-altering, earth-shattering, cumulative exam? How dare you try and test my knowledge and make me prove I've learned things this semester?
3. Bargaining.
Now you've hit your most desperate stage. At this point you're willing to bargain with anyone and everything, whether it be asking some sort of higher power to grant you immunity from finals or coaxing your pizza delivery guy to actually go and take your finals for you, nothing is off limits. You're beyond over this week and completely incredulous of the fact that you actually have to participate.
4. Depression.
At this point, everything is just upsetting. Studying is upsetting. Being at the library is upsetting. Taking tests is upsetting. Staying up until the crack of dawn is upsetting. This is the lowest of lows that you will encounter during this roller coaster of a week, and at this point it doesn't even seem like some late-night Jimmy John's can even cheer you up. Curse you finals week, curse you.
5. Acceptance.
Finally, it hits you. It's taken you a good portion of the week to realize it, but you've finally come to terms with the fact that you do, in fact, have to study for all of your tests AND take them. You've realized no amount of pouting, begging and pleading can get you out of this one, so you buckle down and do what you have to do and continue fantasizing about the sweet taste of freedom that accompanies the closing of this hellish week.
Summer is just around the corner, my friends. Together, we will conquer finals week.
