It’s hard to believe our fall semester is coming to an end, and finals are only a few weeks away. Stress and anxiety may creep in during this “crunch time,” which is normal and common at this point in the semester. I want to assure you there is still plenty of time to finish the semester strong and maintain your well-being at the same time.
Dean of Students Sandy Jones
Colorado.edu/finals has everything you need to know to help you for the rest of the semester—tips for managing stress, printing options, the Buff Bus finals schedule and other resources. You will also find plenty of finals-related events to help you take a break, fuel up with free food and de-stress. Be sure to swing by one of the study stops in the UMC, visit the relaxation stations at The Rec and Wardenburg Health Center and attend Late Night Breakfast on Dec. 13.
The lead-up to finals can sometimes be overwhelming, and some of you may feel like you don’t know where to begin. It can be helpful to talk things out with someone, and I encourage you to visit any of the Let’s Talk locations across campus in the next few weeks if you’re feeling overwhelmed. This is a free service where students can stop by for an informal and confidential consultation with a counselor. Students commonly visit with concerns about stress, worry, relationships, academic performance and more; and Let’s Talk counselors can help provide insight, solutions and information about additional resources.
As you prepare for the end of the semester, here are a few other words of advice to help you get through finals:
- When you plan your study sessions, consider timing them when you are most mentally sharp. Are you most productive in the early morning shortly after you wake up, or later in the evening?
- Getting enough sleep plays a big role in preparing for final exams. Plan for seven hours of sleep each night, and fit some power naps into your day if you can—your brain functions much better after getting enough sleep.
- If you are having trouble getting started on a paper, create a loose outline with bullets of your main points. Staring at a blank page can make it more difficult to get started, and creating a plan with your outline can help overcome that roadblock.
- Be aware of “time blockers,” or activities that eat up your time—social media, Netflix, phone calls, etc. Find ways to avoid these distractions during your designated study times and instead utilize them as reward for hitting a milestone in your assignment or study plan.
- Even though it’s crunch time, avoid cutting corners with your work. You may feel like you don’t have time to properly cite a source or find your own solution to a problem, but these actions violate the Honor Code and have consequences.
Remember, your community at CU Boulder supports you, and we are all rooting for you to finish strong. Good luck—you got this!
Sandy Jones
Dean of Students
