‘Twas the night before finals
And all through my room
Nothing was clearer
Than my impending doom.
My flash cards were stacked
Neatly in a pile
Having not been touched
For a very long while.
I made the trek to the library
At the top of Libe Slope
And on my way up,
I was filled with some hope.
Hope that I’d focus
And learn lots of stuff,
But as soon as I got there,
I knew that that would be tough.
Not a single seat in the library
Was open for me,
I circled many times
Hoping someone would answer my plea.
Some people were buried in books
Stacked three times their height,
While others were napping,
Clearly done for the night.
I finally settled for
Studying on the floor,
Then spread out my notes,
My textbooks, and more.
My mind frequently drifted
To the summer ahead,
To food, to parties,
Then swiftly to bed.
I kept bringing my focus
Back to my notes,
It took all of my brain
To decipher exactly what I wrote.
I wondered why I didn’t
Start studying weeks before,
Oh, that’s right,
Because it’s such a bore.
I watched as the weak ones left
Well before close,
Internally weighing the cons,
As well as the pros.
Sleep is of value,
It’s not just for the weak,
It gives you a new perspective
Just when everything’s looking bleak.
I fight sleep all night long
Until dawn breaks my snore,
A calm wave overtakes me
When I wake up on the floor.
I blink my surroundings into clarity
And realize where I am,
Still in the library,
Ready to cram.
My exam is in three hours,
But my panic is gone,
I studied, I’ve got this,
I think with a yawn.
The days of Finals Week blend together,
Study, take exam, study some more,
But academics are just a part
Of what college is for.
Your grades don’t define you,
They aren’t everything,
Just try to remember this, when you’re
Under all the pressure finals bring.
