Recommended for you

Start writing a post

Student Life

The Stages Of Finals Week

Nine stages of studying for finals.

Danielle Spera

Apr 25, 2016

University of Central Florida

331

It’s finals week for many college students. Finals week is full of hysteria, anxiety, stress, and so many other emotions that can cause any student to break down. Finals are literally the worst time of the semester. No one is safe from the chaos that is finals week! No one! Even if you know your grade is safe, you will still become a victim of the finals week madness. We all go through these certain stages during finals week.

Stage One: Realization

The semester has flown by! How have three months gone by so quickly? I’m not even sure where my textbook even is!

Stage Two: Blind Ambition

OK, I’m going to study nonstop until the exam! Nothing will stop the studying machine that is my brain. I can do this! Studying isn't even that hard.

Stage Three: Bewilderment

Wait, what is this? Is this even my class? We didn’t learn this! None of this makes sense. The professor is just messing with us right now.

Stage Four: Panic

There is no way I can remember all of this before the exam. This is impossible. I feel like I’m dying!

Stage Five: The Five-Day Break

I have studied enough (five minutes). I need a day off. There is nothing like Netflix marathons and pizza that can’t cure. I deserve this.

Stage Six: Realizing you haven’t done anything for five days

I am not prepared for this! Why did I waste all this time! I know nothing about my exams! I am doomed.

Stage Seven: I don’t know how to study

I only have 12 hours before this exam and I still know nothing. I don't even know what I don't know. I don’t even know how to study. Do I make cards? Do I just read the textbook? How was I even accepted into this school? I am a useless human being.

Stage Eight: The Mental Breakdown

I am going to fail! My parents are going to kill me! I will be a shame to society. I can’t take that professor’s class again. He will know that I couldn’t pass his class. I’m a failure to human evolution!

Stage Nine: Accepting Your Fate

OK, I’ve done the best I could and that’s all that really matters. I won’t have to retake the class. I’ll probably do fine! Right?

Finals week is a terrible time for any college student. We go through so many emotions in the span of several exhausting days. We are all sleep-deprived, caffeinated, and on edge. However, we really shouldn’t be. The best way to get through finals is to stay calm. Have confidence in yourselves. You can pass these exams in your sleep. The one thing that I’ve learned about finals week is that if you can get through this, than you can get through anything. You are going to be OK!

Report this Content

This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

Student Life

Things I Am Actually Going To Do This Semester

Or at least try to do.

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

1762

CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less

new year

Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

Southwestern University

2084

woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch

Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less

library

Student Life

The 14 Stages Of The Last Week Of Class

You need sleep, but also have 13 things due in the span of 4 days.

Michigan State University

1295

Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash

December... it's full of finals, due dates, Mariah Carey, and the holidays. It's the worst time of the year, but the best because after finals, you get to not think about classes for a month and catch up on all the sleep you lost throughout the semester. But what's worse than finals week is the last week of classes, when all the due dates you've put off can no longer be put off anymore.

Keep Reading...Show less

Student Life

Top 20 Thoughts College Students Have During Finals

The ultimate list and gif guide to a college student's brain during finals.

University of Vermont

418

Thanksgiving break is over and Christmas is just around the corner and that means, for most college students, one hellish thing — finals week. It's the one time of year in which the library becomes over populated and mental breakdowns are most frequent. There is no way to avoid it or a cure for the pain that it brings. All we can do is hunker down with our books, order some Dominos, and pray that it will all be over soon. Luckily, we are not alone in this suffering. To prove it, here are just a few of the many deranged thoughts that go through a college student's mind during finals week.