Ah, it’s that time again. We have about two weeks left in the semester, and the pressure is on. The assignments are popping up, and it is probably getting hard to balance all your assignments, family duties and your job responsibilities.
Deadlines for term papers, professors that seem to have no compassion for your problems, final exams looming and just a general frenzy of stress caused by procrastination, are all reigning down on you.
You might feel like you’re trapped in the trash compactor with Luke, Han, Chewie and Leia from “A New Hope.”
Maybe you still have the winter blues, since the weather has been dismal all semester and we’ve had snow multiple times in APRIL! I know I’ve been getting antsy and I’ve been missing my walks through nature that clear my mind.
However, this week I’m gonna offer a few pointers and tips to get you through the remainder of the semester.
First off and maybe most important, go to class. It sounds silly, but at this point, so close to the finish line, you can have moments of weakness and stop attending classes. Yet you still need to go to show the professor you’re invested in the class. Also, you can get important information i.e. study guides and test questions being revealed from these final class sessions.
Secondly, take care of yourself. You can’t study, finish those three to four page papers or pay attention to those lectures on an empty stomach. You’ve got to eat good food, and drink more than just energy drinks and Starbucks.
Sleep is important too. Those all nighters will catch up to you in the end, when you end up sleeping for 16 hours and missing the last day of class. In general, your body won’t cooperate with you if it’s being neglected.
Third, be extra. Cozy up to your professor and know them well. Show them that you want to succeed and care about doing well in the class. They might go out of their way to help you if they see you are invested.
Also, make use of all of the group study sessions, extended open office hours and practice tests. Usually those practice tests questions are similar to the real thing.
In addition, there are plenty of resources on campus that can help you out and manage your stress. We have the writing center, counseling services and tutoring programs that help you succeed. Definitely seek them out and use them if you need it.
Finally, stay positive. If you go into an exam or writing session thinking you’re going to do poorly, you will. It sounds cliche, but positivity is important and will help you.
Also don’t get down if you’re doing bad in one class out of four. That means you still have three other classes to care about and do well in. Don’t dwell on negative things until the summer.
No matter how this finals week goes, you will come out of this semester stronger. In some cases you’ll pony up and do everything you need to do and be rewarded with good grades and a sense of accomplishment.
Or despite your best efforts you’ll meet the bitter sting of defeat, and might have to rethink your approach. Yet all hope is not lost, as you can learn from your mistakes and use the failure as motivation for next semester. Trust me, I’ve been through that. Several times.
No matter what happens, this semester is only a small chapter of your academic journey and if you put all the time and effort in it that you can, something will be gained out of the experience and you’ll come out of it better than before.
Henry Wolski
Executive Editor