The final dilemma
“Use no. 2 pencil only. Make all erasures complete.”
These words are all too familiar to college students wading through the trials of finals week. But not to worry, the Academic Resource Center is there to help students deal with test-taking trauma.
“[Finals] are not quite as horrible as they are made out to be,” said Noelle Call, director of the ARC.
“Preparing for finals is a lot like preparing for a physical event or activity,” Call said, explaining that students must prepare for finals week the same way an athlete prepares for a sporting event.
She said that students must work on their mental and physical preparation as well as hone their academic skills. To have a successful finals week, she said, students must schedule time for preparation in these three areas.
“If they would just sit down for an hour and make a master plan then they could breathe easier and start focusing,” Call said.
She said many students have so much to do that they just run around like a “chicken with its head cut off” instead of figuring out how they will get everything done.
Often, students will make the mistake of not sleeping enough during finals week.
“I see students walking around and they look so exhausted,” Call said.
According to a handout provided by the ARC, if students have to cram for a test they should get sufficient sleep before the exam so they can be as alert as possible during the test, then plan better so they don’t have to cram in the future.
Another mistake often made by students is giving up regular exercise during finals week because they don’t have enough time. Call said that exercise actually helps reduce stress and helps students focus better on their studies. In a presentation to supplemental instruction leaders, Wendy Beck of the Utah State University Counseling Center said stress can sometimes be caused by chemicals released into the bloodstream and that one of the best ways to get rid of those chemicals is through exercise.
During finals week, students often eat differently than during the semester. Call said that students who don’t usually drink a lot of caffeine or eat a lot of sugar shouldn’t start during finals week because although it could give them more energy, it will make it harder for them to focus on what they need to study.
Even following these guidelines, many students get anxious about finals week.
“One of our students had a heart attack,” Beck said. “School is stressful.”
She said that, often, we mentally stress ourselves out by thinking and obsessing about the difficult things we have to do.
However, some of this anxiety can be prevented through better preparation during the semester.
“Right now, it’s a little too late,” Call said about students who are only now looking for help with their difficult classes.
“They have to be honest with themselves. Are they anxious because they are unprepared or are they really anxious for psychological reasons?” Call said.
She said some students who are well-prepared really do experience test anxiety, and these students can receive help in the counseling
center.
The counseling center also helps students during finals week by offering programs like Finals First Aid, which will take place Monday through Wednesday of finals week and will provide students with the opportunity to relieve their stress by petting animals. The animals available to play with students include dogs, cats, and a bunny, said Maren Seamons, a secretary in the counseling center.
Another way to relieve stress is to take breaks each day from studying.
“Whether it’s getting pizza with friends, baking cookies or just sitting around laughing,” Call said. “It can be fun.”
Call also said finals can be more stressful for first-year students and that they should talk with more experienced students so they can know what to expect during finals week.
“Yeah, I’m kind of nervous. I’m not excited,” said Justin Kohler, an undeclared freshman.
Students with more experience are often not very worried about finals.
“I thought about [studying], but that’s about it,” said Jakob Weierman, a senior in the graphic design program.
Students worrying about finals can receive help in the ARC or the Counseling Center.
-sjeppesen@cc.usu.edu