Dominican: Finals Stress

Angela Romano

Strategies for a stress-free finals week

Yes, it's that time of year again, whether you like it or not. You may have tried hiding, bargaining, begging, and even considered fleeing the country, but the horrible truth remains. Final exams are here. But don't panic quite yet. Just because you have exams in a week, doesn’t mean all hope is lost.

While students won't be entirely stress free during finals week, certainly there are things they can do to manage stress and anxiety.

Dominican Theology Professor Adam Darlage strongly believes the key to being successful is organization. “Get organized and don't procrastinate on take-home assignments,” Darlage said. “ It's easy to get stressed when you're not organized and you save everything for the last minute.”

What many students fail to realize is that most of the prep work comes from the work done throughout the semester. Dominican English Professor Jane Hseu, says, “Hopefully students have been keeping up on the reading and taking good notes throughout the semester. If they have then there is no need to worry.”

Although organization and relying on class notes help, some students use techniques to prepare that range from the traditional to the strange and superstitious.

"I study by playing Xbox and Super Mario," said Mark Besch, a criminal justice major at Dominican. "I also always have to eat a smores pop tart the morning of my exam.”

Sophomore Jinny Fester also has a routine she must follow. "I always have to have a bottle of water with me when I take my test," said Fester. “I can’t wear sweatpants to a test either because they make me too tired.”

Lauren Birth, a sophomore studying elementary education, is much more traditional.
"I start studying a few days before," Birth said. "I sit at my desk with tea, so I can stay awake. I do problems, like chemistry or math. I then read the book or notes and try to point out key facts."

Not all students are as organized in their study habits as Birth.

"I think everyone in some ways knows what to do," said Hseu. “Students should plan to study/work on papers ahead of time, working in small, continuous increments, rather than to cram at the last minute--cramming can cause a lot of stress."

Many teachers and advisors warn against making drastic changes to a student's normal schedule.
Jason Bonick, assistant clinical director at Dominican said, "Don't change a lot of what you do regularly. Finals week isn't a time to start sleeping less or skipping meals."

Since stress can be a reason students do not do as well as they should, Dominican is offering end of the year festivities to reduce stress and get students minds off studying.

Sophomore Caroline Golko highly recommends going to see the end of the year dance showcase, Breath. “We have all been working really hard on our dances and it would mean a lot to all of us if everyone made it a point to come,” Golko said. “It will be a good study break and should be enjoyable to watch.”

The Greek comedy Lysistrata is also a must see. Sophomore Rebecca Mullins encourages everyone to go see it. “It’s a really fun show. We’ve been working really hard, and there’s even a few musical numbers in it.”

If your looking for something more active, Pilates is being offered in the racquetball courts Monday’s 12-1 pm and Fridays 4-5 pm.

Lauren Gumbiner, a counseling intern at Dominican, believes exercise is the key to relieving stress. “Find time, maybe just 5 minutes, to implement relaxation techniques or meditation,” Gumbiner said. “Working out is huge for relieving stress and gaining energy. If you can't seem to fit in a full 30 minutes, go for 15, or grab a pal during a break and go for a walk.”
Relaxation techniques also aid in concentration and alleviate any anxiety and stress students may have. Gumbiner said, “Simply tense a targeted muscle, hold it for a count of 5, then release, while breathing deeply. This can be very calming.”

Students who have gotten lazy during the semester and did not attend class or have not kept up should not give up.
Hseu said, "Going back over old exams and analyzing how you did is a good way to review and learn material.”

Students who have not done the best job studying throughout the semester need to buckle down. "You might feel like a fish out of water, but at least for finals week be the model ideal student," Gumbiner said. "It might help you get Bs and Cs instead of Ds and Fs."

Students should not just accept their fate and decide not to study. As people always say, “At least give it the old college try.”