I filled out another course evaluation today. And in the middle of bubbling in the letter C to indicate that, yes, I "felt the instructor explained material thoroughly in class," it hit me. We're finished.
There is nothing quite like a course evaluation to make you stop and reflect. That always seems to be my signal that the end of a semester is rapidly approaching. I have hardly put down the No. 2 pencil I used to fill out the course eval before I'm picking it up again to complete a final exam.
The University fuels the mad dash to the end of the year by giving us a mere two days between the end of classes and beginning of exams. Apparently, next Wednesday and Thursday will provide me with ample time to study thoroughly for five cumulative exams, attend two review sessions and complete any final writing assignments. The University is as generous as Dave Matthews was with his encore Saturday night.
As these last two weeks pass in a flurry and stress sets up shop in your brain, don't forget that there are several ways to pass time that do not involve all-nighters at Clemons or permanent residency at Alderman.
The following suggestions just might help you survive the final weeks of school, and possibly even enjoy them.
1) Spend Plus Dollars.
You may not be aware of it, but somewhere out there, you have a friend who still has 350 Plus Dollars to spend by May 11. This could work out very well for you when a sudden craving for Chick-Fil-A overcomes you in the middle of your studies. Hungry for fro-yo? Just swipe the card.
My personal suggestion is to take advantage of the candy station at the Pav that allows you to mix a bag of your favorite sweets and then pay according to its weight. You will be surprised how quickly those little candies add up. Two gummy bears? That will be $5.95, please. Maybe those "heavy" bears need to go on a diet, but not you. Swipe the card again because while you have all summer in the sun to burn the gummy bear calories, those Plus Dollars won't roll over to the fall term.
2) Visit the Writing Center.
You have probably heard your English professors recommend this invaluable resource and filed it away in the back of your brain with all the information that's been coming your way since January. My advice: Take advantage of it. I started going there at the end of last semester, and I'm still kicking myself for waiting that long. The tutors at the center help you focus on organizing your paper's thesis and its themes. "What's a thesis?" you ask. Make an appointment for the Writing Center now.
If you're still not convinced, let me add that I have never received a grade below an A on a paper I've taken to the Writing Center.
3) Be considerate at the library.
As finals stealthily approach a week from now, the stacks in University libraries will look like a refugee camp. Some students feel that the only way to accomplish any studying is to camp out in the library, away from the distractions of the TV, Instant Messenger and roommates. I hear stories of students who turn library hibernation into an art form, and a sneaky art form at that.
It's simply not fair to place a few random books on a table to claim your spot, then leave for several hours and fool others into thinking you're coming back to use that space momentarily. Yes, people actually execute this maneuver, and we know who you are. If you're not back in 15 minutes, I'm going to move your stuff (in the most polite way possible) and use that desk myself.
4) Don't pull an all-nighter.
The truth is, all-night studying serves one purpose and one purpose only: It exhausts you. If you don't know the material the night before an exam, by all means study as much as you can or acquire help from a knowledgeable friend, but know when to quit. The four or five extra hours you "gained" by sacrificing sleep will do you no good when exhaustion gives you the brain of Homer Simpson the next morning. If you already have fallen behind on the information for the exam, that means your thinking needs to be sharp and clear to correctly answer the few questions you actually understand.
Not to sound like your mother, but sleep is important. Lack of sleep will not only make you run-down but it also tears away at your immune system and could leave you feeling sick.
Or it could be the third bag of gummy bears you just ate at the Pav.
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