The Observer, April 25, 2008
Volume XL, Issue 26
Making finals manageable, or how to not have a nervous breakdown
Facing the next two weeks is terrifying: somewhere between the three 15- page papers, four tests, and five final exams, there hardly seems time to eat or sleep, let alone time to relax. With the sun shining temptingly and the end of the school year looming, finals at this time of year are a high-stress situation, often resulting in multiple panic attacks and frequent psychotic meltdowns. It is inevitable; finals time is bound to steal away some of our precious sanity. Still, as proven by the large number of students back at Case every year, there are ways to survive end-of-year finals.
Surviving finals takes a lot of energy, which means hungry stomachs are constantly demanding more. Luckily, a number of study break events and other places around campus offer a wide variety of cheap or free food around finals. The Thwing Study Over, while perhaps not the best venue for productivity, does provide four hours of free food from vendors around campus.
This year, due to its success at the Pizzalympics, Dewey's will be the sole provider of pizza. A little closer to the residential areas, Leutner and Fribley host their annual Late Night Breakfasts. From crepes with fresh fruit to custom-made omelets, Late Night Breakfast offers more sustenance than the average academic appetite can handle. If that cannot satisfy your study munchies, RHA generally hosts study breaks complete with coffee and sweet snacks on both sides of campus.
The crucial, most painful part of finals is the actual studying that the academic schedule demands. Nevertheless, studying does not have to be so excruciatingly oppressive. To enjoy the sunshine and make schoolwork a more tolerable task, take the books outside! The beautiful weather is irresistible, so make the most of it: Wade Lagoon is an excellent place for a little bit of nature and solace, or even Wade Oval for those on Northside.
For those who can afford to take a little bit of a road trip, spend the afternoon by Lake Erie by driving down to Gordon Park – water can be very calming, making study sessions more pleasant. If nothing else, enjoy the spring flowers on the quad or around the residential areas. Despite living on an urban campus, there is plenty of green space to utilize and enjoy. Sunshine is rare in Cleveland, and studying in the great outdoors is an excellent way to savor the spring and be productive.
Once your study conditions are perfect, it is easy to forget that not everything can be accomplished in one sitting. Sure, some people have ridiculous cramming capabilities or can produce papers like popcorn, but for the average student, learning everything needed for finals takes time. We are all expert procrastinators, but during finals time, it behooves us all to start working ahead of time.
Studies have shown that getting enough sleep can increase academic performance, but studying longer will most definitely increase academic performance. The key to doing well is not having to choose between sleep and studying; starting preparation for end-of-semester finals well in advance can help with the classic sleep-or-study conundrum. Plus, allowing ample time for studying also allows abundant time to enjoy the end of the year.
Strangely enough, finals time is the best time to get out and have a little fun. With Club Delt on Friday night, Springfest and the Hudson relays on Saturday, and a number of a capella and choral performances all throughout finals and reading days, it seems like there is always something happening during finals. Just because we all have to study does not mean the campus shuts down. In fact, it seems like the campus is actually at its busiest during finals. Between the paper-writing and cramming, the weekend is a great time to take a break.
With the school year ending and moving out, saying good-bye, and studying approaching, it is easy to become overwhelmed. In spite of this, with a little bit of planning, finals do not have to be the horror we make them out to be. No doubt that this is the most stressful time of year, but there are ways to survive the madness with sanity intact. With fewer psychotic stress meltdowns, we can allow ourselves to look forward to stress-free summer months.
