Heidi Cuevas | Staff Writer
As the semester comes to an end, students find themselves stressed, anxious, and overworked as finals begin, ultimately taking a toll on their mental health for the worse.
The Sunday after the short Thanksgiving break, I realized that all my exams were in just a few days. I still had assignments to complete, quarter projects to finish, and papers to write before I could even begin studying for my finals.
Even though we know that finals will inevitably come, it doesn’t take away from the stress and anxiety they cause.
Finals aren’t just any other exam; they often determine whether a student passes or fails a class, which can evoke fear and stress.
According to the American Psychological Association, 31% of students feel overwhelmed during final exams. It is not surprising, considering that students are not just taking one final a week; sometimes, it is four or more back-to-back in a single week, depending on a student’s schedule. This means covering a semester’s worth of material for an exam that is expected to be completed within an hour or two for multiple classes.
Not to mention that having an exam dictate whether you go up or down a letter grade, despite the work done throughout the semester, will cause fear of failure to emerge. I always find myself inputting “what if’s” grades on Canvas in hopes that even if I score a low grade on the final, I won’t fail the class. But despite this, there is too much unpredictability for written response exams or final papers, which leaves students in a constant state of worry until grades are posted.
All of these mixed negative emotions students feel during this time can interfere with their ability to succeed. 29.5% of students listed anxiety as the reason their academic performance was negatively impacted. Feeling nervous before a test can be normal, given how much pressure students are under, but when the nerves begin to grow uncontrollably, it becomes a larger issue.
There are different ways students can take care of their mental health during finals.
For FIU Online students, FIU suggests that students should stay positive, prioritize sleep and food, take breaks, and stay calm. There are also resources on campus available for in-person students in the Student Health and Wellness division— and most of the resources are paid for through our tuition. However, it always sounds easier said than done.
Finding a way to get through finals can feel like trial and error, but eventually, we find a study plan or routine that works for us. As a first-year student, I thought I could get by on an exam with little studying because I always listened to the lectures and took notes. However, the notes had no purpose because I did not review them prior to the exams. Now, in my final year (or whatever year you’re in) I focus on taking detailed notes throughout the semester, so they serve as a study guide for the finals.
Despite all the pressure we’re put under at the end of the semester, we must prioritize and take care of ourselves mentally in order to succeed.
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The opinions presented on this page do not represent the views of the PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect the perspectives of contributing writers and/or university community members.
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