As Fall 2016 is coming to a close, I am sure that every student out there is checking their pulse every 10 seconds to make sure that they are still surviving. I don't know what it is, but the fall semester always seems so brutal in comparison to the spring semester, and it is even worse that we need to take finals just mere days before the holidays. There is nothing easy about being a student, but it seems that finals week can certainly put a giant weight on our already burdened shoulders. While the end of the semester is most likely to wreak havoc on your life, know that you will get through it in the end no matter how bad things get. That being said, if by any chance you are struggling, you have probably already concluded that you are fighting a losing battle if:
1. You've already cried once.
The crippling amount of work is so overwhelming that instead of actually doing it, the next best thing is to cry about it for a few hours. Sometimes a good cry is necessary to relieve some of the negative emotions. You won't actually get any of your work done, but at least you can have a party — well, a pity party that is, but we can ignore that part.
2. You've cried a lot more than once.
So maybe one crying session wasn't enough. There is nothing wrong with expressing your feelings.
3. You are becoming really religious.
If you have a five exams, four papers and two presentations next week, you are probably going to be praying the Jesus to help a pal out. How else would you be able to get so much accomplished in so little time? Honestly, even atheists are dipping themselves in holy water at this point.
4. You no longer care about your appearance.
Real clothing is not of any use any longer because no one has enough energy to actually coordinate cute outfits. Sweats, yoga pants and even pajamas are now essential. If we are going to suffer, we might as well do so in comfort.
5. You will take any amount of sleep that you can get.
Four hours of sleep is way better than zero. Trust me, it happened to me and even though I had two turbos the next day, I was beyond euphoric to have gotten those four precious hours.
6. You don't even know what's going on in your classes anymore.
We all probably lost track of what was going on weeks ago anyway, but now we are totally lost and preoccupied with deadlines and lengthy to-do lists.
7. Your emotions are all over the place.
It is a time of ups and downs, and it is recommended that people handle us with care. Personally, when I am stressed, if you say something to me in the wrong tone, I will cut you with my words. Then I will probably cry about how I treated you for a few days or so. It is a touchy time.
8. Your diet is suffering.
Real meals are just not an option during the stressful last weeks of a semester. If you are overwhelmingly busy, you will probably grab any available food that you can find. More often than not, the most readily available food is junk food, but let's face it, we deserve all that chocolate and candy.
9. You are on mental breakdown No. 10.
You have probably had to schedule one or two breakdowns into you calendar just to make sure that you have enough time for them and your work. It is completely natural. The student brain can only have so much information shoved into it at once.
10. You calculated the grades that you need to pass.
If you know that you can still pass your class without killing yourself over your research paper, then you have one less thing on your shoulders. So rip out those old syllabi, a calculator and get to work.
11. Your friends have to go searching for you in the dark crevasse that you work in.
Whether you are glued to your spot in the library or reside in the corner of your dorm hidden behind a mountain of books, we all know that solitude is the only way to get work done. It is nice to know that your friends care enough about you to check on you, though.
12. You're struggling to gain control of your life, but I promise, everything will work out in the end and you will feel amazing!
Good luck on finals!
