‘Tis the season to be…anxious!
After a long and hard semester in Vandyland, now is the time that matters most. With finals out of the way, all that is left to do is wait… Wait to see if all of our hard work paid off.
During the days leading up to the dreaded “finals week”, something strange happens. Each of the study rooms across campus are filled to capacity, study groups meet at all hours of the night, and students everywhere can be seen with their tall cup of Starbucks coffee. During this time, most extracurricular activities are essentially placed on pause. Leaders of student organizations realize that finals are a stressful time; so many groups have “study breaks” for students to attend in order to take their mind off of studying for a few minutes, and interact with other members of the campus over food, and fun games.
We work hard throughout the semester, but there is a special type of pressure that is felt around finals. If someone is not doing well in a certain class, scoring high on this last exam can be the determining factor in their final grade…. and we all know how much grades matter! I’ve had nightmares that I’d over sleep for an exam, my pens and pencils would all run out of ink and lead, and that the exams that I had been studying for were on different days! Even though this is a stressful time, one can’t help but feel encouraged. Professors hold extra office hours for those of us who have last minute questions, and TA’s host study review sessions that refresh our memory of the numerous topics that we have discussed. With this type of support, it is clear that our instructors want us to succeed.
Now that final exams are over, we can each jump for joy. Going home for the holidays after a rough week of exams is always a great feeling. I’ve seen college students turn into little children once the excitement hits them. Countdowns for trips home begin as soon as we return from Thanksgiving break. After goodbyes to friends, staff members and professors, we make that journey back to our home town. We start to get comfortable, then all of a sudden, the feeling of anxiousness starts to kick in.
…What if I failed ALL of my exams? How well did I score on my exams? Will my grade be higher or lower after that exam? How well did I do this semester? All of the questions swarm around in my head as I wait for my professors to post final grades. My freshman wear, I believe that I checked for my grades everyday because each professor posts at different times. Now that I am a junior, I like to wait for as long as possible so that all of my grades are posted at one time. The suspense is too much!
After the grades have been posted, the feelings of anxiousness subside. Then most of us Vandy students hibernate over the break…catching up on some much needed sleep! …And prepare to get ready to do it all over again in the spring semester.
Wise Words to Live By: “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.”
– Booker T. Washington