Dear Suffering Student,
I have some good news and I have some bad news. May has come, which can only mean two things: summer is just around the corner…and finals are too.
As if you needed the reminder that your sad, sleep-deprived, over-worked self is within the cold, unfeeling grasp of finals week. We all know it. We all saw it coming. We always do. And yet we always find ourselves here, dreading the countdown and all the hours of studying through late nights and early mornings. As finals get closer and the reality sets in, we begin to question whether we've actually retained any material at all! It's overwhelming—there’s so much studying to do and no time to do it. Not to mention the five (hundred) papers you have to finish this week for all your classes, because despite what all our professors claim, we know about those secret meetings they have just to make sure they schedule all our big assignments at the same time (OK, maybe that's not true…but maybe it is, I'm just sayin’).
Or maybe you have finished all your term papers, but with the last stack of homework assignments and The Battle of Finals Week 2016 looming over you, you haven’t had time to celebrate or rest. It's a grueling time of year, full of stress, too much procrastination (which only leads to more stress) and zero sleep. But somehow, through some semi-annual miracle that we are graced with at the end of every semester, we always make it through.
This semester will be no different, my friend. You will suffer, yes—you probably already are—but you will reach the end of the dark, dreary tunnel to embrace the warm sun rays of summer break. And look how far you've come already! You have only a few more steps to take before you can put these dark days behind you and celebrate your freedom! You have worked hard all semester long. You've completed a pile of papers, numerous tests and midterms, presentations here and there, you've powered through weekends spent buried in books and homework assignments, all the while you've also juggled extracurricular activities and a social life. You’ve done it all! Look at you go! Now the only thing standing between you and freedom is just two more weeks and a couple exams. You're an ol’ pro at this. You will face these last two weeks head-on, and you will triumph. College is hard, and no one will ever tell you otherwise, but you're doing it! You're getting it done, and these last two weeks ain't got nothin’ on you and your degree-achieving self! You’ve got this!
To conclude this end of semester pep talk, here are some (hopefully) helpful notes to keep in mind as you bravely go forth to conquer these next two weeks:
- Stress doesn't have to be the enemy. One study found that people who were taught to view stress as helpful to their performance were less anxious, more confident and even physically healthier than people who viewed stress as harmful (oh my gosh, I actually did learn something from my Biopsychology class this semester! On that note, here's an excellent TED talk on how to make stress your friend, which discusses this study further).
- Be a smart studier, it’ll make your life easier. Find a study buddy who can give you feedback and help you with the material you find difficult to grasp. Don't forget that your professors are a resource too! Ask them questions during their office hours or make an appointment. It's their job to help you and they're happy to give you their time. Quiz yourself on the material. Use mnemonics to help you memorize information. Start studying early on and distribute your study time throughout the week(s). Finally, don't be afraid to over-learn the material. It's good for you.
- Remember that, as Zefron would say, “we’re all in this together,” so don't hesitate to seek support from your friends and fellow suffering classmates. Take study breaks together and grab a cup of coffee, look up cat videos on the interweb together, or just go outside for a little while to get some fresh air.
- Sleep. Seriously. If you find yourself studying at 2 o’clock in the morning, put your book down and go to bed. You're not going to remember much of the material when studying that late at night anyway and your body needs to recoup so you can study and perform more effectively and efficiently the next day.
Good luck, Godspeed and may the Force be with you.
Sincerely,
A Fellow Suffering Student
