By Jackie Roberts
Staff Writer
Attention all Bonaventure students!
An epidemic spreading around campus is causing students to sport bags under their eyes and cramping fingers and take sporadic napping cycles at the library.
For some, this epidemic will strike during Reading Day tomorrow. For others, it has already begun.
There is hope, however. This phenomena occurs twice a year and students come out of it feeling more excited and accomplished than ever. We call it finals week.
It’s fair to say finals week serves as one of the most high-pressure sequences of days in a college student’s life each semester. Though we can wallow in our nerves and hide behind our textbooks, it’s important to understand that it is only one week out of the year and there are ways to get through it successfully.
One student who has picked up on a few survival tactics for finals week is senior marketing major Tatyana Ithier. As she approaches her seventh finals week at St. Bonaventure, she has a few words of wisdom to share.
“Finals week can be very stressful, but it is important not to be too stressed or overload your brain with information,” Ithier said. “Don’t cram, and be sure to remember to take care of yourself as well.”
Danette Brickman, associate professor of political science, agreed with Itheir. From her personal experiences as a student and from observing her own students, Brickman believes if students put in the work throughout the semester, it isn’t necessary to overwork themselves during finals week.
“Get sleep,” Brickman said. “Staying up all night long and cramming is never a good idea. There comes a point that your brain can’t take in any more information without taking a break.”
Brickman explained she has seen the negative consequences of students not sleeping or over-studying during finals week.
“I’ve seen students fall asleep during a final before,” Brickman said.
Sophomore journalism and mass communication major Ryan McDonough said he found Brickman’s warnings relatable.
“Last year during finals week, I definitely overdid myself,” McDonough said. “I didn’t get more than three hours of sleep any night. I found myself skipping meals and I was exhausted for each of my exams. I’ll definitely try to be more aware of my personal health this year.”
Philosophy professor Roderick Hughes also gave some worthy advice for students during finals week.
“One thing I found helpful as a student was to make one summary sheet of every important point covered in class,” Hughes said.
By creating a summary sheet, Hughes was able to study and absorb information more efficiently when he was a student.
Hopefully, we can learn from those who have been through finals week before us. There are ways to get by and succeed without burying ourselves into a cocoon of loose papers and textbooks. You can overcome the epidemic, too. It’s just a matter of learning the right ways to study and stay healthy.
