The days of reckoning are finally upon us, my people! Finals week has come at last. Now I know what you're thinking: "Finals? Oh crap! Time to run around in circles and punch everything in sight!" And, I mean, you're not wrong to think and do those things, it just won't do anything for you...except maybe get you in trouble with the authorities; on the bright side, at least you won't have to worry about finals anymore...or, ANYTHING else, really.
Back on topic, you can panic all you like, but those exams won't just disappear from existence because you asked them nicely to. This is the week that ultimately determines everything, your final grade, the status of your relationship with your professors, and most importantly, whether or not your parents kill or exonerate you for them. No pressure, right?
In my experience, I've observed all types of study methods. There are the ones that feel more focused in public areas, so they go to place like the park, or library, to study, and others that enjoy studying in groups. But these aren't the ones I want to focus on this week. This week, there are three types of study people in particular that I'll be picking on.
The Introverted Studyers:
These guys, I personally relate with, as I myself am one of them. The introverted studyer (yes, I know it isn't a real word, but it fits with the theme of the article, so bear with it) is a being that rarely leaves their room due to their incredibly strict, self-inflicted study routine. They allow themselves a maximum of around three to four hours of sleep in order to get as much work done as they possibly can before their bodies completely shut down. I have the utmost respect for these types of studyers because, while they may not allow themselves to have social lives, or breaks, above all else, they seem to have their priorities straight.
The Short-fuse Studyer:
These guys, I feel the most sorry for, because they have the right idea, get as much studying out of the way as you can, pretty simple in theory, right? The thing is, though, when it comes to executing this plan, things don't always go as planned. One minute, you're at your desk, diligently looking over the study guide your professor was kind enough to provide for you, and the next, your laptop is on the floor, you're banging your head multiple times against your desk, all the while screaming "why, why, why" to the top of your lungs, then you slink down to the floor and curl up in the fetal position beside your fallen laptop, crying your eyes out and screaming as loudly as you can, hoping for someone, or something, to hear your cries and take your pain away. But then, as you lie there, you slowly realize that no one will come for you and decide to cry some more. Sometimes studying can be overwhelming for a student, and I honestly can't blame any of you out there that respond this way to long study sessions.
The Procrastinating Studyer:
These are my favorites, as well as the most amusing to watch. The procrastinating studyer, as you might have guessed, is the one that always SAYS they're going to do the the most work, but never do. They say they'll do their best, study for this amount of time, take a quick break, then get right back to studying, then see a new episode of their favorite show on Netflix, or online, seconds before cracking open their textbooks and watch that instead. But one episode is never enough, oh no! They need to watch the entire series over because "there was a part in the new episode that they didn't fully understand and need to watch the whole thing over in order to get some clarification." These guys intrigue me the most because, ironically enough, they're the ones that are always looking the MOST surprised and distraught when finals week comes around, like they legitimately think it just sprung up on them without warning! And just when you think they're finally going to get their acts together and start studying, they surprise absolutely no one by going right back to watching that show! If you know someone like this, do what you can to keep them on track, study with them if you have to. Procrastination is often a temptation that's incredibly difficult to shake and sometimes you need more than just your own willpower to do it.
In any case, guys, finals is here and the race to get all of your grades in has begun. But instead of completely stressing out over them, you just have to remember one simple thing. No matter what happens this week,no matter what kind of studyer you are, whether you live through it, or die, one way or another, you'll be free by the end of it.