Finals are really stressful for any college student.
Between finishing papers, putting together last-minute presentations, and studying for those difficult exams, we need to take a little time to care for ourselves. In five years, chances are we won't remember what we wrote about "Gone with the Wind" for our final paper, or what chemistry problems we were practicing all week. Instead, we'll remember the people, the professors, and probably the stress.
Five years from now, you'll remember the hard work you put into studying for finals. You'll recall the night you stayed up until 3 a.m. to finish a paper, and the silence on campus as you walked back to your room after. You'll remember the utter exhaustion from looking at textbook problems all day or watching extra lectures online to recall what you learned at the start of the semester. Let's be honest: you probably won't remember most of the material you were studying. Maybe you'll learn some valuable study skills from looking at your flashcards or studying with friends.
Five years from now, you'll remember the professor who made a funny joke before handing out your last exam. You'll remember the conversations you had with professors during office hours about exam questions, and studying. You'll remember telling a professor that you've got two tests on the same day and listening to them tell you not to worry so much. They'll assure you that your other exams went well, they'll tell you about your great participation grades.
Five years from now you'll remember the people you studied with. You'll recall the white board in the classroom you camped out in all week--all the quotes and drawings you left on the whiteboard as the week went by. You'll remember the peppermints, chocolates, and snacks you shared over flashcards. You'll remember the laughter during study breaks or the distractions found on Youtube. You'll remember those great friends who made you concentrate on your work but also reminded you to have some fun once in a while. You'll remember taking out your ukulele to de-stress, and having a breakout dance session in your room with your roommate before going to sleep.
So, it's redundant to say don't stress out at the semester nears its end and you're overloaded with work. Just remember to work hard but also allow for a few moments of fun, or relaxation. Your GPA is just a number, and not something you'll really remember from your college finals.
Remember the work you were willing to do, remember the effort you put into your classes, and remember the people who accompanied you along the way.
