Dear stressed and exhausted college student,
I know you're excited about Christmas break because that means you're leaving campus and there is no studying in sight. There's just one tiny catch before you get to enjoy pure bliss. You've got a handful of exams that may or may not determine if you pass your classes yet you're losing your desire to finish with the same determination you had when you started the year. These two weeks loom over our heads all semester yet we ignore them until now. It often sends people into mild breakdowns, bad attitudes, sleepless nights and calls back home to let your parents know this may be the end of you...and if it's not, you're dropping out anyways.
I speak from experience when I say I've been there, and I've done all of the above. I'm here to lend a few pieces of advice and words of encouragement from my own experience with the dreaded weeks we call dead week and finals week.
To my Freshman self,
Finals are scary, and dead week could very well feel like the hardest week of your life, but remember that you know how to do this thing we call school and you did get accepted for a reason. While it may be your first round of finals, this is the best time to get a system down and create study habits that will benefit you as courses get more difficult. Don't let FOMO get the best of you. Don't blow off studying over dead week and then during finals week stay up cramming until five A.M. for an eight A.M. exam.
Instead, plan out study sessions, time to relax, unwind and time to sleep. There will be a point when sleep is more important than that extra hour of studying. Your mind needs time to shut down and that means shutting your eyes, not just watching Netflix to break up the studying. Remember -- you're capable.
To my Sophomore self,
You must have done something right because you're back for another year so don't let up now, but rather continue setting yourself up for success. You're a little bit into your major now (that was fast) and these classes are an important foundation for what is to come. I hope you've gotten all of your Netflix binge-watching and all-nighters out of your system because these finals don't get easier as you get older. Quit calculating exactly how bad you can do to still maintain a B average or how much you can blow off the exams and still pass.
Instead, figure out how many hours you'll spend studying, sleeping and socializing. Planning makes all of the difference. One last thing, keep getting the right amount of rest because there is no medicine that cures mono. This one is all you. It will require even more detailed and thoughtful planning, and without it, you may end up having mono for three months because you just can't do it all. Remember--You're adequate.
To my Junior self,
You know Bon Jovi's song "Livin' on A Prayer"? Good, because you're halfway there (but I don't recommend livin' on a prayer for finals.) You're an old pro at finals but you still tell every single person you're dreading these two weeks and they can find you curled up in a ball while you sob in your room because you're just that stressed.
Instead, get a head start on organizing and planning what needs to be done and what classes you've struggled the most in. Accounting is on my list. These finals are important for the end game of walking across the stage to your diploma, but they won't break you. Plan, prioritize and prove you know your stuff. Remember--You're competent.
To my future Senior self,
I can't think about you yet, but take all of the above and remember you're at the height of your finals game. You've mastered it, so execute it as such. You're a prodigy.
Remember, you're not defined by your final exam scores and I'm guessing you'd be hard pressed to find an employer that asks what you got on your exams. Don't let that stop you from setting a standard and making goals for yourself that you know are achievable but also that won't make you feel like a failure if you don't reach them. You've spent an entire semester learning this material. You know your stuff! Have a little grace with yourself and be sure to carve out time to de-stress, catch up with friends and do things that make you happy. Your sanity matters and those around you will appreciate the positivity. In the words of High School Musical-- "We are all in this together."
