Finals week: if you’re stressed out you’re doing it right

By cluna

It’s finals time again — the part of the year when you question your major, or even your decision to attend college altogether. Recently, while pulling an all-nighter, typing my fourth essay due this week, and surviving off my last cup of coffee, I thought to myself, “Is this what college is supposed to feel like?” It’s tough when the physical effects of being in college begin to catch up with you. However, there is hope. With the help of Michael Scott, I’ve created a list that turns those feelings of defeat into feelings of motivation.

1. Sleep deprivation

Those bags under your eyes aren’t just designer, they’re battle scars. If you’re not getting enough sleep then it just means you’ve reached the point of no return. While procrastinating is never the best way to get through classes, there is definitely something to be said about a person who chooses to finish an assignment rather than get a good night’s sleep. All-nighters are a necessary evil in college, and every student will experience them at some point in his or her academic career. Find hope in your drowsiness, it means you’re doing your work.

2. Stress

Finals week isn’t finals week without also having 20 other assignments due at the same time as your exam! This is usually where the stress kicks in. It’s normal to have two, three, or even four projects due on the very same day as that American History final. The most important thing to remember here is this: you’re stressed out because you care. If you weren’t worried about your grades or how well you’ll do on an essay, then you wouldn’t be stressed in the first place. Find comfort in your stress, it means you’re a good student.

3. No social life 

Finals week isn’t just a death sentence for your mental state, but for your social life as well. If you hardly have time to sleep, then you probably don’t have time to see your friends, either. College students often feel isolated from the real world, anyway. This is totally normal! If you feel that you haven’t seen your friends in ages, it’s OK. This just means that you have your academic priorities right. Find comfort in your lack of social life, it means you’re busy being productive.

4. What’s the date again?

Perhaps my greatest fault as a person — and probably one of my best qualities as a student — is knowing my syllabi better than an actual calendar. As students, we often live by the syllabus and nothing more. Not knowing what day of the week you’re in is completely normal when your life is dictated by deadlines and due dates. Don’t feel bad if you’re often confused by the day of the week, as long as you’re on top of your work. It seems contradictory, I know, but it’s simply what happens when your class schedule is the same for 16 weeks in a row. Turn those doubts into inspiration and find hope in your fatigue! No one ever said college was easy, but it doesn’t have to be torture. Everything you’re feeling just means you’re doing it all right. Happy finals week! In the words of Michael Scott,

 
About the author

Cecilia will give us an inside look at a day in the life of a college student, sharing her journey with us every step of the way. She’s a second-year public relations major at the University of Florida. Her hometown is in south Florida, in the small town of Clewiston, and she’s ready to make her mark. “Not only am I learning to adjust to a bigger city, but all of the adventures this big university brings along with it.” You can follow her adventures right here on Unigo!