I think it is safe to say that no one, regardless of social standing, ethnic background, or economic status, enjoys sitting at a desk for 3 hours straight, having to pull information from more than 10 weeks of lectures and hundreds upon hundreds of pages of a textbook… multiple times. Yes, finals are the bane of the semester; however, with a direct plan of attack and a few tips and tricks, they are manageable.
I am not going to sugar coat the truth—finals were very difficult. There is no way around it. The sheer amount and depth of material that you cover in college will most likely be much greater than anything you have been used to in the past. For myself, the most important aspect of succeeding in finals week is time management. Think about it—you cannot expect yourself to review 3 months’ worth of facts in one night, even if that night is the entire night. Start early! Usually, universities will have finals 2 or 3 weeks after Thanksgiving break. I know it may seem a far way off, when you get back to school you will be hit with more new material, so getting a good review over Thanksgiving is essential. This will set you up for a much less stressful reading period, the time before finals that you will not have class so that you can study.
The campus vibe during testing was definitely different from normal, most notably from the fact that you will probably struggle to find a seat in the library. However, schools acknowledge that everyone is facing the struggles of studying, and most times, will hold events to temporarily ease us of the stress. At my school, we had a “Lighting of the Quads” ceremony, where the entire school was gathered on the main quad for hot chocolate, acapella performances, and eventually, the lighting of all the buildings and a fireworks show. This reminded me that although academics the reason why we continue our studies, it is important to enjoy spending time with others and meeting new people.
Of course, because I am a freshman, this was only my first encounter with finals; but, I have found some helpful insight that may make the terrifying academic rigor bearable: do not put things off to the last minute, find a group that you are comfortable studying with, and try not to be engulfed by the whole situation. Being nervous for exams will only make you perform worse—and I know this is easier said than done, but it is extremely important. Lastly, do not let a number or letter define who you are, the most important aspect of college is retaining the information that you are studying, and being able to apply it to your life. As long as you feel that you have learned something, a grade means nothing.