The Stress of Finals Week

January 18, 2010

Overwhelming stress, lack of sleep, cramming sessions, and many cups of coffee  all point to one time of year, finals week.  Classes officially ended on Wednesday, December 16th and the only things standing in the way of a month long winter break are finals.  Finals typically last anywhere from two to four hours long and the professor choses the time and location of the test.  While tests in general are stressful, finals are overwhelming, especially when someone may have three to four all in a 24-48 hour period.  So how do college and PSEO students deal with the pressure and the stress?

Many students that I spoke to mentioned that music helped them to relax and in some cases concentrate more fully on the studying at hand.  Erin Hagen, an 18 year old freshman from Shorewood, WI explained to me how she made a “study list,” a collection of songs with no vocals which she plays while looking over her notes to minimize distractions.  What I personally find most relaxing is sitting in the comfy chairs in the student union in front of a warm fireplace while listening to someone play christmas carols on the piano.  So whether music is used to add to the study environment or as a distraction, it is a useful relaxation tactic.

Another form of relaxation that was brought to my attention was sleep.  Navita Lakhram, a 17 year old PSEO student from Cottage Grove expressed the importance of “10 minute power naps.”  She stated that she attempts to sleep when she gets the chance, but during the rest of the day she drinks plenty of soda to keep from drifting off.  A habit of Nicole Shank’s, a 17 year old PSEO student from Cottage Grove, is to nod off on the bus ride to school every morning.  This is her way of relaxing before starting the day while catching up on a few more minutes of sleep.  She also attempts to complete the cross word in the newspaper every morning as a way to unwind before class, if she can keep from falling back to sleep.  Sleep is used by many as a way to take a break from the endless flow of incoming information and as a way to restore strength and vitality.  However, if they aren’t careful some students may find themselves sleeping through their study sessions.

Another way of unwinding from the stress of finals is by distraction.  Many people referenced frequent visits to facebook and youtube, as well as lounging in front of the TV.  Navita confessed to getting sidetracked by her addiction to farmville and cafe world on facebook.  While Tara Wright, an 18 year old PSEO student from Prior Lake admitted to zoning out in front of episodes of 24 and House.  While distractions make a welcomed break from lecture notes and slideshows they can also inhibit studying ability when used too often.

The final way students ward off stress is to create days to just get out with a friend.  Whether those days consist of lunch with a close buddy, coffee with an acquaintance, or a brief shopping trip it is peaceful to leave thoughts of math equations and important dates in history behind for a bit.  Rebecca Ruth, a 19 year old freshman from Blue Earth, MN and Erin Hagen described their tradition of “Noodles Friday.”  They go out to Noodles & Company every friday, after which they sometimes go to the bookstore in the student union and shop or hold movie marathons.  Planned days give students a goal to work towards, and act as a nice reward for all the studying they have already done.

There are many ways to relieve the building stress that accompany finals.  Whether students choose to use music, sleep, distractions, or planned outings with friends there are plenty of ways to relax during one of the most stressful times of the year.

PSEO word of advice: create or attend a study group to practice for a test.  Whether the study group consists of two or twenty people they can be extremely helpful when it comes to remembering facts.  Someone may understand a concept that is completely over your head, or they may be able to simplify it so you find it easier to remember.  What I always find useful are acronyms, using the first letters of words to create a word or phrase that I can easily recall.  Someone else may have a fantastic acronym that I would not have known had I not studied with them.  Friends may also cause you to think more deeply about a subject than you otherwise would have.  Study groups are helpful because they allow you to learn from your peers while in turn teaching others.

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Tagged: emily beaver, finals, stress  

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