If exams aren't enough to complain about, students this year must adapt holiday plans and endure intensified shopping mobs, thanks to the lengthened fall exam week.
The 2004 fall semester exam schedule, which ends Dec. 21, is a full six days longer than last year's fall exam schedule, which ended Dec. 15.
Students expressed general annoyance about the effect the extended exam schedule will have on their Winter Break plans, citing problems finding enough time to spend with family and friends and having little time to finish gift shopping.
"Who wants to be here Christmas week?" second-year Engineering student Mike Pilat asked.
Some students said they had to make costly and inconvenient travel changes. Third-year College student Dan Baris said tickets cost more as major seasonal holidays approach.
"It'll be an extra $100 for a plane ticket," Baris said. "I have to travel across the country."
Professors found that the extended exam schedule did not crimp their holiday plans as much as it made getting grades in on time that much more difficult.
They added they have been approached by just a small number of students who had conflicts with the finals schedule.
"I have international students who have had to buy their tickets home a year ago," said Music Prof. Scott DeVeaux, whose History of Jazz students will their take final Dec. 20. "I've had to give incompletes because I'm not allowed to give the exam early."
Professors said they were able to find out early in the semester when the final exams for their classes would be scheduled and presented this information to their students in advance so that scheduling conflicts could be avoided.
"Since the registrar's office posted final exam schedules before the beginning of the semester, I was able to make an announcement on the first day of class drawing attention to the late final date," Astronomy Prof. Michael Skrutskie said. "That approach seems to have worked."
Philosophy Prof. Paul Humphreys said although the extended exam schedule did not affect his Winter Break plans, ample time was not given to grade the exams.
"It's a real problem in terms of getting grades in by the deadline time," said Humphreys, whose Symbolic Logic students will take their Dec. 21. "I have students who are graduating and whose grades have to be in 24 hours after the exam. I wish they hadn't pushed it back this far."
And holiday shopping? Some students said they are dreading the madness they will have to brave while trying to shop for gifts on the last few days before one of the season's major holidays.
"Shopping during the day before Christmas will be intense," said second-year College student Elliot Neal.
Second-year Engineering student Brian Hickey sighed and shook his head at the thought of holiday shopping in Northern Virginia.
"I will be doing all of my shopping on the 23rd and 24th, the worst days of the month to do said shopping," Hickey said. "There will be many a gift from the U.Va. bookstore."
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