Dealing With End of Semester Stress

As the end of the semester closes in on us and finals rapidly approach, stress levels start to hit an all time high. As a sophomore, I’ve learned some things about dealing with the large workload that comes with the end of semester. My main tip for freshman is to not put everything off until the last second. I know you’ve probably heard this a billion times, but spacing out your workload out can really help reduce stress. I’ve heard people say before that they work best under pressure and that procrastination actually helps them create better work. I don’t know if I really buy this but if you have a method that works, then stick with it. Personally I like to make sure that I don’t have to cram in all of my work at the very end of finals week. Putting off your work can result in lack of sleep which negatively effects memory, concentration and overall health. While some people function better without sleep than others, sleep is still a necessity especially during finals week. I have a friend who can function very well on about three hours of sleep while I on the other hand, wouldn’t even be able to make it out of bed with that little sleep. In order for me to do well in school, I require lots of sleep. I also tend to crack under pressure and do my best work when I know I have plenty of time to do it.

One example of this is that I have an Anthropology paper due on the 13th for my final exam. It comprises a large percentage of my grade and takes a lot of research and extra work before I can even sit down to write the paper. Knowing this, I’ve already come up with all of the evidence and sources I need to write my paper as well as written my outline so that I can begin writing it soon and have it perfected by the time its due. 

While some may think that procrastination and lack of sleep help them to to complete their work, I disagree and and say that completing your work in a timely manner and getting enough sleep is the way to go during finals week. Sure, when you go home for break you’ll be able to sleep all you want but sacrificing the quality of your work and your health isn’t worth it in my opinion. Burning out and having an emotional breakdown towards the end of finals week may seem like a “normal” thing for college students to deal with, but by being smart, you can prevent it.