To be clear, this article is not advocating shirking your carefully crafted finals study plan and abandoning your hard-earned GPA on the side of the road come reading days. Coming from someone who may or may not have been labeled “point nerd” back in AP World History, strutting into that final fully prepared to dominate (and yes, snatch all the shiny points) is incredibly satisfying. With the exception of the infuriating handful of geniuses who breezily ace their courses without so much as cracking a textbook—we all know one—most of us will be forced to spend more time than we’d like cramming our minds with equations, notes, and practice tests to get the grade we want at the semester’s end. That being said, reading days don’t have to be the hellish purgatory of a weekend we deem them to be. Yes, studying is the worst, quality sleep isn’t in the cards, and your own bed and mom’s cooking are tantalizingly close yet so maddeningly far. But why should the penultimate weekend of the semester be completely depressing? Why can’t you put your organic chemistry book down and rally your friend group Friday night to go dancing? Because you really have to study…at 10 p.m. on a Friday? Is it because you want to be “energized and productive” Saturday morning? Or is it perhaps that going out during the sacred period of study days is taboo, simply unthinkable? Before you gasp in horror, humor me and consider the following reasons to go out at least once—bonus points for Friday and Saturday night—during reading days. Because if you’re wasting away in the library 24/7 all weekend, you’re doing it wrong.
Mental Breaks are Vital
Studying is mentally draining. And when you do it for hours on end, some unpleasant side effects begin to develop, including irritability, frustration, anger, boredom and despair. You’re just not you when your brain is fried from a long day in the library, and the reality is that you won’t be productive when you attempt to get a second wind in Club Hes after dinner. Reward yourself for that day’s focused diligence and close your books by 8 p.m. Then find your friends and make the most of the night.Taking a break will boost your mood, give your mind a necessary rest, and ultimately recharge you for the next day’s round of studying. It’s a win-win.
“Saving” Going Out for the Weekend After Finals is a Mistake
When pressed, many people who avoid going out during reading days justify their decision by rationalizing that they will let loose during the most amazing last weekend of the semester ever after the stress of finals has passed and everyone is free. In theory, post-finals weekend is the Holy Grail.But its reality has many overlooked flaws that should make you second-guess putting all your party plans into one basket. For one thing, everyone is on a different finals schedule, so while you may be blasting music after your last exam on Thursday night, your roommate’s 8 AM chem test the next day is kind of a buzz kill. And the fact that everyone is done by Friday night doesn’t guarantee that your friends will all be together for the last hurrah you anticipate. Maybe your roommate’s parents booked his or her flight for 7 p.m. and a night of celebrating together suddenly turns into a sobering flurry of farewells, frantic packing, and a sprint to the bus for the airport. The last weekend of the semester is incredibly hectic, and it can even be downright stressful when you’re running around campus trying to track down everyone you want to see before break. So don’t use the excuse of “saving” going out with friends for the last weekend to opt out of a friend’s party during reading days. Every weekend is a chance to enjoy your friends and make memories, and each one should be treated as such.
You’ll Regret Not Going Out in the Long Run
“No I won’t,” you insist. “Why would I regret my responsible decision to stay in all weekend and be rewarded for my pragmatism with a stellar GPA to impress my parents?” I can think of a few reasons. College is a fleeting, truly extraordinary chapter of life that will be recalled innumerable times in the future. Reunions, dinner table conversations, wedding toasts, and nostalgic moods will all bring you back to the glory days of working hard and playing harder. Except the working part will be eliminated from your stories because who wants to hear that legendary one about your wild night spent in the library, anyway? The real memories you’ll replay over and over again never involve schoolwork or your GPA. The nights worth remembering are the spontaneous ones that make you feel like you’re being irresponsible, like when you decide to throw your textbook on the ground Friday night of reading days, crank up your favorite song for a random dance party with your roommate, and convince each other to go out and seize the night. You may agonize beforehand, wondering if you’ll regret not getting one more study problem done because you chose to go make a fool out of yourself with your best friends. Which, frankly, is a waste of time, because the answer will always be the same clear, unequivocal, definite NO. Trust me.
