                 Happy LWOC, everyone! Fall semester is almost over, but before we can go home and relax for three weeks, we have to sit through some final exams, write some final papers, and submit some final projects. Around this time of year, the pressure to succeed increases because, for many of us, a final can make or break your grade in a class. Some people can work through the stress, while others let it take over. No matter how you handle stress, it’s important that you know more about the resources available on campus to help you succeed this finals season.
CAPS
First, there’s CAPS (Counseling & Psychological Services, for those who don’t know). I found out that CAPS now offers walk-in hours between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm on weekdays, which is especially useful if you need to see a counselor that same day and don’t have time to wait for an appointment. A stigma does exist that prevents many people from seeking psychological help or counseling because they assume that it’s only for people who have depression or bipolar disorder or some other term that they’ve only talked about in their intro Psychology class. However, CAPS is available to every undergraduate and graduate student on campus and I highly recommend going to see CAPS and at least talking things out with someone who is impartial and doesn’t know every detail about your life. CAPS can also provide you with referrals if you need them.
ARC
For help that’s more focused on the academic side of things, I recommend visiting the Academic Resource Center (or ARC) on East Campus, right behind Brown dorm. The ARC can help you find a tutor (but it might be a little late in the semester for that, so just keep them in mind for the Spring), find a study group or walk-in tutoring (especially for that Math class you thought was going to be easy), or meet with a learning consultant one-on-one to improve your study habits and find strategies to reduce stress (!).
RAs
Your RAs are there to help you, so if you feel like the stress is getting to you, go speak to your RA. They’ve been through this before and they can offer you advice on how to deal with stress or how to study for a final exam. They are also conveniently located in the same building as you so you don’t even have to leave your dorm.
Friends
Talk to your friends. Odds are, they are going through something very similar to what you are going through. Get together with the friends you share classes with and make a study group. Proof-read each other’s papers. Duke is a community filled with students like you. You are not alone in feeling academic stress and you shouldn’t have to deal with it alone.