‘Twas the night before finals

And all through my room

Nothing was clearer

Than my impending doom.

My flash cards were stacked

Neatly in a pile

Having not been touched

For a very long while.

I made the trek to the library

At the top of Libe Slope

And on my way up,

I was filled with some hope.

Hope that I’d focus

And learn lots of stuff,

But as soon as I got there,

I knew that that would be tough.

Not a single seat in the library

Was open for me,

I circled many times

Hoping someone would answer my plea.

Some people were buried in books

Stacked three times their height,

While others were napping,

Clearly done for the night.

I finally settled for

Studying on the floor,

Then spread out my notes,

My textbooks, and more.

My mind frequently drifted

To the summer ahead,

To food, to parties,

Then swiftly to bed.

I kept bringing my focus

Back to my notes,

It took all of my brain

To decipher exactly what I wrote.

I wondered why I didn’t

Start studying weeks before,

Oh, that’s right,

Because it’s such a bore.

I watched as the weak ones left

Well before close,

Internally weighing the cons,

As well as the pros.

Sleep is of value,

It’s not just for the weak,

It gives you a new perspective

Just when everything’s looking bleak.

I fight sleep all night long

Until dawn breaks my snore,

A calm wave overtakes me

When I wake up on the floor.

I blink my surroundings into clarity

And realize where I am,

Still in the library,

Ready to cram.

My exam is in three hours,

But my panic is gone,

I studied, I’ve got this,

I think with a yawn.

The days of Finals Week blend together,

Study, take exam, study some more,

But academics are just a part

Of what college is for.

Your grades don’t define you,

They aren’t everything,

Just try to remember this, when you’re

Under all the pressure finals bring.