Finals aren’t everythingDuring finals week it’s easy to feel like your entire grade is riding on one exam. However, finals are just one exam out of the whole semester. In my personal experience, I’ve never had a final exam exceed more than 30% of my final grade. Which means that 70% of the grade is already determined! So, if you’ve been following along all semester, you’ve got nothing to worry about! Think of finals as one last opportunity to boost your grade rather than something your grade depends on.
Eating and sleeping is still necessaryIt seems like every finals week, zombies take over the campus in replace of college students. Pulling all-nighters, consuming nothing but caffeine and not showering as often is unfortunately all too familiar for college students during finals. While not sleeping may seem like a good way to squeeze in extra study time, you are ultimately just hurting yourself. Sleep deprivation impacts memory and concentration abilities. If your body is too busy fighting to stay awake, can it really focus whatever it is you’re trying to learn? Take care of your body this finals week to enhance your test performance. Don’t undermine your basic needs for grades.
There is still time to learn! Many view finals as some impending doom that is going to suck no matter what. Don’t get sucked into that kind of mindset. Your professors are here to help you and the majority of them are more than happy to work with you on difficult material. Also, don’t forget about the Center for Student Learning (CSL) on the first floor of Addlestone Library. They have limited hours during finals week, but if you start going now, you’ll get a solid understanding of whatever you are struggling with ahead of time.
You can do this. Five exams covering an entire semesters worth of information all in one week? No wonder you are stressed! It may be overwhelming and seem impossible but don’t let pessimism take over. You are in college for a reason. You have the brains and work ethic to keep you afloat this week. Study hard, rest well and keep stress at bay and you will make it out of finals alive, I promise.
You are more than a grade. From a young age we are taught to be competitive. It seems that it is even worse as college students, since unemployment is a huge issue for recent college graduates. We believe we need to have the best internship, best GPA and best recommendation letters to set us apart after graduation. But in the grand scheme of things, is getting an A on your physiology exam going to really matter? You are more than your grade and your GPA, don’t let finals make you forget it.