Finals week can be a daunting time, with papers, final projects and exams looming. It can be very easy to become all consumed by the stress of it all. It’s the time where Mann Library becomes your second home, and you rely a little too heavily on caffeine to keep you going. The combination of lost sleep, back-to-back exams and crowded libraries can all lead to a frenzy of anxiety. The monotonous days drag on, with a seemingly endless cycle of study, exam, repeat. However, even amidst the madness, moments of joy can be found — no matter how small or fleeting. Here are some fool proof ways to romanticize finals week, and even find pieces of happiness within the chaos.
The trick is to celebrate the small wins in order to keep you sane. There can be many reasons for celebration, no matter how insignificant they may seem. Finishing the last paragraph on a final paper, finding your go-to study spot open (which proves to be very difficult during finals week) and finally solving a math problem you’ve been working at for hours are all accomplishments to recognize. It can be easy to overlook these small victories, but it may help to keep you going during the thick of finals week.
Although it sounds cliché, mindset is key. A simple shift in mindset can be the difference between success and failure this week. How you respond to the stress will determine both your level of either motivation or burnout. My best tip to achieving a (mostly) positive mindset is to romanticize finals week. This can look different for everyone, but it truly can make your experience exponentially more enjoyable. Instead of viewing the week as a stressful whirlwind, try to reframe it as a time to end the semester strong.
One of my favorite ways to romanticize college is by taking walks or sitting on the slope to clear my mind. A short walk through campus to enjoy Ithaca’s beautiful spring may be all it takes to feel like life may not be so bad afterall. While it may be tempting, try not to lock yourself in the Olin stacks for hours on end, because its dull and dreary interior tends to get to you after a while. Instead, try studying outside of Collegetown Bagels to get a change of scenery and soak up some Vitamin D. Make a brand new study playlist just for the week. Listen to anything that motivates you and allows you to focus (for me that’s the Harry Potter soundtrack). Wear your cutest and comfiest sweat set and make your notes as colorful as possible on your iPad. While these methods may seem small and like they wouldn’t make much of a difference, even simple efforts can help you to find joy within your week. Romanticizing finals week will not completely ease the inevitable stress, but it can bring beauty back into your life and make your week a little bit more manageable.
A general belief that I have is that there are no rules during finals week. Any routine or structure that you carried throughout the majority of the semester will most likely unravel in the matter of days, and that’s just the nature of this brief and abnormal period. It becomes valid to pull all nighters in the library, buy absurdly priced coffees everyday and order Chipotle through Uber Eats at any hour of the day or night. I’m always a proponent of rewarding yourself with a little sweet treat, so buy yourself your favorite candy from the library vending machine. Anything goes during finals week, and it’s all about what makes you happy. There’s no “right” way to do it — what matters is that you do what you can to survive the week, and maybe even thrive.
One of the most important and impactful ways to remain clear-headed during this time period is to remember that everyone else is just as overwhelmed as you are. Go on study dates with your friends, and soak up your time with them before the end of the semester. They say that laughter is the best medicine, and sometimes a good laugh is all you need to momentarily relieve stress. So don’t be afraid to take short breaks and have fun — it can make your week significantly more bearable.
At the end of the day, finals week isn’t just about the deadlines and exams — it’s about how you handle the pressure and find joy in the little moments. Sure, you’ll forget some of the material you studied for this week, but you’ll remember the moments shared with your friends and the feeling of connection that made the stress worthwhile. Above all, remember that finals week is only temporary, and while it can feel brutal in the moment, maybe one day you’ll come to miss the unique beauty of it all. After all, it’s a defining aspect of college life, and is all just a part of the chapter you’re in now.
Martha Dolan is a first-year in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She can be reached at [email protected].
