Ah, the time of the year when baggy sweatpants turn into daily attire, ten cups of coffee are consumed in one day, and students somehow teach themselves an entire semester's worth of material in one day--finals. As the build-up to holiday shenanigans begins, the semester starts to wind down, and assignments, exams and papers begin to pile up. The relief of completing an assignment subsides immediately once you realize you have negative time to waste before starting the next. The ten-page paper that is due tomorrow has yet to be started and you're already on your sixth cup of coffee within two hours. The end of the semester can be a beautiful time, simply because it is the end of the semester. However, between you and your freedom from school lies the week that everyone dreads: finals week. So, rather than procrastinating that ten page paper even more by watching an episode of "The Office" on Netflix, here are some quotes from the iconic comedy to motivate you in preparation for the big week.
1. "I am Beyoncé, always." - Michael Scott
For those that need that confidence boost, you, too, are Beyoncé, always. And Queen B can do anything and everything she puts her mind to.
2. "Swag! Stuff we all get." - Michael Scott
Don't worry, you got your swag! Walk into those finals with swag (however you do that) and you're bound to kill it.
3. "Me think, why waste time say lot word, when few word do trick." - Kevin Malone
Let's hope that you have better grammar than Kevin does, but the man has a point. When it comes to writing that lengthy final paper, avoid those run-on sentences with gaudy words that no one knows the meaning of. Be clear and concise (but more clear and concise than Kevin).
4. "I am running away from my responsibilities. And it feels good." - Michael Scott
Although you should focus your time on studying and prioritizing schoolwork, your body and brain need breaks. Don't feel bad taking a quick break between assignments, or after a couple hours of studying multi-variable calculus. Take a short break to clear your mind; you won't regret it.
5. "You are coming and that's an order!" - Dwight Schrute
Whatever study group you have at 8 a.m., you are going, and that's an order! I know how hard it is to not slack off when you don't have actual classes to attend during finals week, but don't let yourself fall out of routine and get yourself to that 8 a.m. study group.
6. "You need to play to win. But you also need to win to play." - Michael Scott
The stress and amount of work put into finals is truly exhausting. However, you are allowed to reward yourself after all the hard work and lost sleep once finals week is over!
7. "It's easy. You just turn every question around on them." - Ryan Howard
If you truly cannot conjure up enough of a bulls*** answer when asked a question you have no idea how to answer, follow Ryan's advice and turn the question around on them. It's a great way to divert the question and save yourself from an embarrassing fall.
8. "Sometimes I'll start a sentence and I don't even know where it's going." - Michael Scott
It is truly okay if you can personally identify with Michael Scott on this one; it happens to all of us, including the Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin Inc.
9. "Get a friend, loser." - Dwight Schrute
Dwight is right, for once. Find a friend to study with! Studies have proven that your brain retains more information when you are explaining something out loud to someone else, or vice versa.
10. "I don't even consider myself a part of society." - Michael Scott
11. "Fool me once, strike one. But fool me twice, strike three!" - Michael Scott
Unfortunately, this reigns true in college wherever you go. Professors rarely (okay, never) give out second chances. If you bomb one exam, you have hope for making up for it. However, when the second exam rolls around, there is no room for mistakes. But don't worry, Michael Scott isn't a baseball guru; what does he know anyways?
12. "I'm not superstitious, but I am a little-stitious." - Michael Scott
Don't wear that one blue sock with the ripped toe just because you were wearing it when you got full points on some middle school test. Don't let your superstitions get the best of you, but it's okay to be a little-stitious if you've got that one pencil with the perfect lead angle when writing.
13. "It's never too early for ice cream." - Michael Scott
This is accurate, for every occasion, at any time. The key to success during finals is ice cream, and that is plain and simple.
14. "I'm totally fine. Everything is going to be totally fine." - Pam Beesly
And who knows best? Pam, of course. With the papers, assignments and exams all piled up, just take a step back, take a deep breath, remember that you're Beyoncé, and you're going to be fine.
15. "Worth it." - Jim Halpert
To top it off, Jim's "worth it" comment is extremely relatable. Once you leave your last final, all of the hard work and determination you put into studying will have been worth it. Remember, you're in this mess for a reason. Never let the stress of finals week allow you to forget your goals and why you're here.
