staff writer: noelle bodenheimer
If you aren’t a college student, April is a time for spring weather, watching the flowers bloom, and making summer plans. If you are a PSU college student, April can be the most overwhelming and stressful month of the entire semester. These four weeks are going to be, quite frankly, hell (especially if this is your second semester. Something about the spring semester of your first year is the worst). As for my credentials, I am a fourth-year student who started my college career in the fall of 2020. I’ve taken online finals, in-person finals, written essay finals, and just about everything in between. While I am not an expert, here are my five tips for getting through the last month of classes and finals week.
1. Check LionPath.
By logging onto lionpath.psu.edu, you can see the dates, times, and locations of all your finals. Most of the time, your final is not during the regular class time or even in the room you usually have class. There is nothing worse than showing up late to a test that you are already stressing over. Do yourself a favor and double-check LionPath.
2. Read the Syllabus
Even if you haven’t looked at the syllabus since the first day of class, you should read it now. The syllabus is where you can find what is going to be expected of you in the coming weeks. Do you know if your final is cumulative or just on the last four chapters? Do you have a final presentation or project? This can help you begin to focus on what you need to study or prepare. Trust me, you do not want to finish a 100-point presentation the night before you present it to the class. Not to scare you, but everyone will know that you did it last minute (yes, even the professor will notice). Plus, if you have any questions, professors are a lot more receptive to answer when it’s not 10:30 at night, or worse, the day of presentations.
3. Get to Work
If you haven’t studied all semester, this is not the time to wing it. Once you know when the final is and what you need to do to prepare for it, it’s go-time. If your final is cumulative, you are not going to be able to review 16 weeks of material in a day. Maybe you could if you’re determined, but it’s very unlikely you will retain anything. Reflect on everything else you have going on. Personally, I am a full-time student that works two jobs and is actively involved on campus — and now I have final projects, presentations, and am looking for a full-time job or summer internship. Procrastination is not going to be your friend this month. I know it seems overwhelming and maybe you don’t know where to start, but you don’t have to do it all at once. Schedule time out of your day to make note cards, do practice problems, meet with a tutor in the Student Success Center, or start researching the topic for your final paper. It is much easier to divide and conquer. Plus, you won’t feel as bad for taking a break if your task for the day is to just write one page, not the entire ten-page paper with properly cited resources in APA or MLA format. There is a plethora of great resources on campus that are there to help you succeed. All you have to do is reach out. For example, if you need help with your writing, visit https://sites.psu.edu/fayetteowl/ for specialized tips. Whether you only have a little or a lot, these tutors can help answer any questions you may have. Again, I know this can all seem very overwhelming, so let’s go to my next tip for handling all the stress.
4. Practice Self-Care
Mental health is extremely important. If you aren’t taking care of yourself first, you’re not going to be able to effectively take care of anything else. Not sleeping, not eating, or not taking time out of your day to listen to your needs is only going to make you feel worse. Give yourself a break; you’re doing the best that you can. I have been there plenty of times, but I promise pulling multiple all-nighters is only going to leave you feeling exhausted and sick. It’s okay to take a break. It is also okay to ask for help. Reach out to friends, family, partners, professors, staff — anyone you feel comfortable with — for support. Ask a classmate if they want to get a study group together, go to your professor’s office hours for extra help, or even schedule an appointment with our campus counselor, Amanda Collins, if you need an unbiased ear to listen.
College is stressful, but there are events on the Student Activities calendar that give you the opportunity to have some fun and take a break during peak burnout season. You could attend the Spring Fling for free lunch, have some fun challenging your friends to a monster obstacle course on April 18th, or get a relaxing massage from a licensed therapist on April 25th in the Student Lounge. While studying and finishing final projects should be top priority right now, make sure you are taking time to take care of yourself.
5. Treat Yourself
You worked hard and completed all your assignments. You deserve a treat! Whether it’s getting some ice cream, going out for dinner with your friends, buying yourself something new, or taking a six-hour nap – celebrate however you see fit! You don’t have to wait until after finals; if you know you have a long day of studying and presentations ahead of you, make time to grab your favorite coffee or breakfast and start the day off on a good note. Honestly, it’s hard to be upset with an iced dirty chai or a breakfast burrito from Sheetz.
