Student reaction: Finals week filled with stress

When it comes to studying for finals, students say they would love to get an early start on their heavy workload. \nAs they head into finals week, many students interviewed said they’re starting to feel the effects of their heavy workloads. For sophomore Sarah Burstein, along with many other students, this head start is usually hard to accomplish.\n“I’d like to study early, but I don’t always do,” Burstein said.\nBurstein has been preparing for her finals since Wednesday, a mere five days before the start of finals week.\nUsually, an early start on studying keeps her from being overwhelmed with material before finals week arrives, she said.\n“The key,” she said, “is actually going to class.”\nBurstein said she often gets anxious when she doesn’t get an early start on her classes. \n“I feel stressed,” she said. “I’m overwhelmed with all the material I have to cram into such a short period of time.”\nThis overwhelming feeling can strike freshmen the hardest, as they get their first glimpse of what college finals are really like. Freshman Jeff Eckert says studying for college was a real wake-up call.\n“(In college) there’s more material in the semester, so you have more stuff to look over and learn,” Eckert said. “I get nervous, but I’m confident I can get it all finished in time and get a good grade.”\nThis confidence can be helpful during one of the most stressful times of the year, as some students try and wait until the last minute to hit \nthe books. \nThe decision to “cram” for a test can sometimes lead to numerous all-nighters filled with massive amounts of caffeine. Junior Jessica Tubbs said she usually takes the route of cramming for tests instead of getting an early start on her workload.\n“I haven’t even started studying,” Tubbs said. “I plan to study for finals in the order that I take them. You kind of get the hang of how you need to study as an upper-classman.”\nProcrastination might be the answer for some students, but for most, getting an early start helps students ease the suffering and headaches caused by finals week. \nJunior Erica Honeywell, who is taking the business school’s I-Core this semester, said students need to focus and get down to business during finals.\n“Finals are stressful,” she said, “because it’s do or die time.”