New York City is decorated like a postcard, Starbucks has introduced their red holiday cups and Christmas music has seeped its way onto every station on the radio.
But one obstacle stands between Christmas break and us: finals week. The bliss of Thanksgiving break is starting to fade away with the incoming pile of papers and tests to start preparing for.
An increase in stress levels, a steep rise in coffee-intake and a decrease in sleep are only a few of the side effects of the most hectic part of the semester.
“It is so stressful that I have gotten a pimple on my forehead, and I rarely get pimples,” freshman Shirley Carpio said.
The busy end of the semester often has students reminiscing of a simpler time. “The beginning of the semester was a lot easier, it seems like most professors start the year off easy and then overload us with work at the end,” fellow freshman Kennedy Arizaga said.
O’Malley library, often renamed “Club O’Malley” during finals week because of all the students pulling all-nighters, seems to be “the place to be” in the last days of the semester.
“You can find me studying in the library, on the level that is parallel to Hayden Hall,” freshman Amanda Critelli said.
We’ve all heard the study tips before: eat breakfast, exercise, get a good amount of sleep and never forget to enjoy some “you” time. But what are other frustrated, frantic freshmen doing to get ready for the week that keeps on giving?
Megan Dall, who has five finals to get through before going home for the holidays, suggests that the best ways to study are to re-read texts and quiz yourself. “Also, make flashcards, lots of them,” she added.
While most people study into late hours of the night, even early hours of the morning, Rodrigo Martinez does the exact opposite. “Get a good night of sleep and wake up early in the morning and study because then you are fresh to learn,” he advised.
Wherever or whenever you choose to study, make sure you grab a cup of coffee, spread out your books and have the best playlist possible on hand. Spotify, a popular music-streaming website, specializes in highly personalized playlists and has created a number of perfect study jams. Try out “Deep Focus, “Superior Study Playlist,” or “Brain Food” during your next study session.
Along with exams, the end of the semester gives us a time to reflect on our first four months of college so far. “It was tough playing a sport and managing schoolwork, but I liked most of my teachers and had a lot of fun this semester,” said Critelli, who was a member of the volleyball team this fall.
College is undoubtedly a life-altering and mind-blowing time of our lives – especially during the first semester. Even with the complaints and stress that come with the last week of school, we can’t forget the great times we’ve had so far and all the memories to come.