The beginning of a semester takes forever to begin; I sit back the first few days as one after another of my professors pull up the syllabus and think: are we really doing this again?
For upperclassmen, we get the gist of school at this point. I don’t think it is really necessary to remind us that we’re all going to end up like chickens with our heads cut off in the final weeks regardless of all the syllabus preparation.
This semester has shown me that it seems I spoke too soon. It’s already the end of March, with only six weeks left of classes.
As I ponder on that wild thought late at night as I try to fall asleep, all of my unfinished assignments start flooding into my head and I’m immediately on overload thinking that there isn’t enough time to get everything done.
I think it’s safe to say the majority of students feel this way and I am not alone in my worries and woes. As final projects, papers and exams begin to accumulate, the days at the end of the semester become elongated.
When I talk to my peers, I hear stories of students skipping lunch, maybe even dinner, opting instead to eat a granola bar quickly between classes, guzzling caffeinated drinks to wash them down. Cup Noodles become synonymous with sustenance and students’ lives revolve around which packet of flavoring will season that night’s dinner.
Personally, I hate group projects. The last thing I want to hear at the end of the semester is that I have to depend on other people for my final grade. Cognizant of my grades, I grab the bull by the balls and take the project into my own hands.
I do this even though I have four other classes, which means four other finals and my last few assignments to turn into my five professors.
So, with this semester coming to an end, I know that while I personally feel overloaded, I’m most certainly not alone
But fear not students, there are solutions to deal with the madness, group projects included.
According to Parents & Families Managing End of Semester Stress, there are many different options students can depend on to help minimize their stress.
The tips that have helped me the most include seeing my professors, staying healthy and making use of campus resources by talking to my adviser.
There are many pros to each of these that counteract stress in the last few weeks of the semester. Seeing my professors allows that face-to-face interaction which shows them I care about the quality of my work and my grade.
This shows that I do not want to sit on the sidelines toward the end of the semester, slide by and hope for a good grade. Pro tip: professors usually give you that last percent to bump up your grade if you show you care and go to office hours.
While seeing your professors is an integral part of surviving the end of the semester, so is eating healthy and frequently as well as working out at the Student Wellness and Recreation Center, which has plenty to offer for physical health. This is a great way to step away from the books for a while and gets the endorphins going for you to be able to come back to study with a good attitude and fresh mind.
When I work out, I’m instantly in a better mood and it gives me a well-deserved break from studying.
I have met with my adviser a handful of times. In order for me to be successful, I need to know way ahead of time what classes I’m taking and which classes I should take at the same time or separately. Seeing an adviser multiple times helps me determine these things.
To get to the good stuff such as summer, that dream job, or graduation, we have to endure the good, the bad and the undeniably stressful end of the semester and do our part to make it a little easier on ourselves.