As a freshman in college, there are so many firsts. First college party, first college class, first time ordering pizza at 3 a.m. All of these are things that you get to do on your own for the first time without any parents, judgmental hometown friends, or nosy neighbors. They’re also usually pretty cool and exciting to be doing. Not only are these fun firsts, but you can prepare yourself for them. But there’s one first that no matter how ready you think you are for it, you know you’re not: first finals week. Here’s how you know you’re a freshman about to face finals.
1. You can’t quite grasp the full concept.
“I have to write three papers, do two presentations, and take five exams in a week and a half? Eh, that doesn’t sound too bad. Still going out tonight!”
2. Your personal hygiene is still in order.
You’re still showering regularly and even fussing with your hair a little. People still care about looks during finals, right?
3. You’ve been sleeping peacefully for the last few weeks.
Starting next semester, you’ll lay in bed at night listing all the things you have to do and crying yourself to sleep. Sometimes you’ll wake up in a cold sweat because you dreamt you got an F on your final paper, which was 50 percent of your grade.
4. You’re still wearing real clothes.
Wearing jeans and a sweater during finals will make you look like a business professional in the middle of a factory floor. You will stand out, and the upperclassmen will laugh at you as they pull up their sweatpants.
5. You’re in a state of denial about how much time everything will take.
“Four hours to write a 2,500-word paper? I got this.”
6. You’ve been going out every day of every weekend, still.
Partying on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights is cool in the middle of the semester. But by December, everyone knows you have to slow down or risk failing. You’re a fool to think you won’t need those precious Friday night hours before a paper due on Sunday.
7. You haven’t been hitting the gym in preparation.
What you don’t know is your body is about to take a real hit, fueled by endless amounts of junk food and caffeine. And forget about sleep.
8. Your room is pretty clean.You’re still making sure to clean up here and there, spending time making your bed or washing dishes. The upperclassmen haven’t seen their floors in weeks, and would never waste precious time making the beds they’re not actually going to be able to sleep in for another three days.
9. You’re on Facebook, Twitter, and every other social media currently.
Freshmen take their phones to the library and sit there and read articles like this one. Everyone else knows the only way to get stuff done is to leave your phone in your dorm. For real.
10. You’re excited about all the fun study-break type things the school is throwing.
No one but freshmen will be there. Everyone else knows all those therapy dogs, free food, and massages are a trap and will leave them powerless to continue working for four hours straight. They can’t allow themselves to be removed from their zombie-like trance.
11. You didn’t get to the library early.
Ha! Good luck with this one. Unless you woke up at the crack to grab a table at the library, you’ll be exiled to some other part of campus that doesn’t have its own coffee shop and printers. Freshman move.
