Finals week is challenging and strips us of our time, healthy diets, sleep, money, and happiness. But hear me out, it’s also the most fun part of the semester.
I know, I know, I better explain myself before your over-caffeinated-irritable-self rips my head off.
Here’s why:
All work, aside from studying, is (mostly) over.
I know how good it feels to put the final staple in your 10-page research paper that is as tear-and coffee-stain free as it’s gonna get. Crossing that, and other assignments, off your to-do list feels incredible. Studying is hard work, but for the first time all semester, you don’t have to share your study time with written assignments. And that feels good. You’ll probably think “What do I still need to do?” five times a day, but hey, the weight is lifted nonetheless.
You get to sleep. A LOT.
Needing to stay up all night during finals week is a myth (at least for most people). The few weeks before? It’s possible. But during finals week, there’s so much time to study that you’d better be doing it right and putting studying and sleeping at the top of your activities list. 8 am finals are cruel, but the beauty is that you typically get to go back to bed (eventually) and if you have afternoon finals, you get to sleep in! It’s a beautiful thing and while it might not make up for all the sleep you lost this semester, it certainly feels like it for the time being.
There’s activities to do and actually time to do them!
I am booked solid from now until the end of the semester, and yes, that includes last minute assignments and studying, but it mostly includes fun! I adore how generous our schools are with last-minute stress-busters and fun activities/trips around campus during finals week. Stressed? Make a free Zen garden. Need a study break? Come get a free snack! Late-night breakfast served by our professors is an Alvernia favorite, in addition to Big Prize Bingo and a trip (free, of course) to the movies on the study day of finals week. This keeps everyone’s spirits up during a stressful time and if you manage your schedule correctly, there’s time for all of this and hanging out with friends before summer separates you for a while.
Everyone’s nicer.
Even at our very worst, we are significantly nicer to each other during finals week, because we’re all in it together. Answers to “How are you?” are often “Surviving,”, “Tired,”, “Almost there”, or something along these lines. We leave sleeping bodies alone and either ignore or comfort anyone who’s crying. Any weird outfit combinations and library-camp-out items are acceptable and staff everywhere seems to understand this too. The campus priest prays for us, cute faculty members send out messages of inspiration and everyone wishes you good luck. Remember how good a smile feels after a day-long study session and help contribute to the niceness, please.
Summer is SO close.
The sun is out, the windows are open, music is blasting and you did it. You’re packing up your stuff and sleeping in a half-made bed with blank walls for your last night in this specific college room. You literally have no other responsibilities here for this year. Tomorrow you’re going to excitedly wake up, pack the car and travel to the home you’ll readjust to way quicker than you’d care to admit. Your family is going to greet you with open arms and home-cooked meals, you’re going to get to spend all night catching up with the friends you’ve missed (I can’t wait to see you guys soon) and you’ll be back to doing whatever you get to do in the summer, which let’s admit, is better than school. You did it, you’ve earned your summer. So enjoy every second.
Finals week is stressful and creates some walking zombies who appear anything but happy. But I personally think there’s a lot of room for happiness and fun and that should be taken advantage of. You’ve made it this far and the end is near. Good luck and embrace it!
