The Stages of Finals As Told By The Princess Bride.

Finals are never a fun time for anyone. You will always have at least one class that seems impossible to pass, or one professor who has been making your life hell all semester. Honestly, your only comfort is that you’re not alone in your misery; the library is full of sleep-deprived, desperate people just like yourself who are experiencing the stages of finals right beside you.

Denial

This is the part where you pretend finals are not just around the corner. You avoid your planner and cut class to stay in the sunshine. You blissfully ignore your responsibilities even though you know it will bite you in the butt later. Besides, you just finished midterms so how could it already be finals? It’s inconceivable!           

Anger

When the reality of finals kicks in, it is easy to get upset, especially with your professors. How dare they schedule final projects and exams? Don’t they realize you have five other exams you have to prepare for as well? You swear they are smiling too much when they pass out a three page study guide.

Bargaining

When you finally get the courage to look at your grades, you may not always like what you see. This begins the bargaining stage in which students look for any extra credit possible. Professors’ offices are filled with students attempting to salvage their grades. At this point all you can hope for is that the professor has enough human decency to not completely dismiss you for your last minute attempts.

Depression

This stage tends to creep in at about hour six in the library. At this point you care less about whether your clothes are clean and more about how the hell you are going to get your final project group to do any work. The only thing shorter than your patience right now is the three hours of sleep you got last night after another mental breakdown caused by essays and incomprehensible study guides.

Acceptance

There comes a point where you adopt a “come-what-may” attitude; you realize that you cannot get out of finals and you just have to do your best. You push through the long days in the library, motivate your study groups and guzzle caffeine. You may be exhausted by the end of the week but you know you have the summer to recharge so you throw yourself into the work and own those finals. 

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