Finals

[Regan]

I don't take study breaks so much as procrastination breaks. LIke right now, for instance, I should be writing my self-evaluation for one of my classes (due in, oh, 3 hours). Instead, I'm writing this message. After this, I'll look at my empty Word document, contemplate some sentences, and then go buy a cup of coffee (at the Tim Hortons 20 feet away). Blahhh!!

I do need to buckle down, though. My first final is this upcoming Monday. Then I have one one Thurdsday, one on Friday (which is really two exams for one course), and then my last one of Tuesday. Passing these exams would be a very good thing *nods*.

As for my papers... This is my first year of university and I've only had two papers. Each of them I've written very last minute, pulling all-nighters and finishing them an hour before they were due. While that worked for my first one (my mark was pretty good, if I say so myself), but I get my second paper back today. And I'm fairly certain that I didn't do so stellar.

One day I'll learn. My entire weekend is dedicated to the exam I have on Monday. Next weekend is dedicated to the exam I have on Tuesday (those are my harder courses). I will get serious, I swear. Just not right now. Tomorrow

[Pudding]

Siniri, I found you a time turner!

For every paragraph I wrote, I got to take a break and play a game on Neopets. Today, I might do the same thing. Or I may give myself a 10 minute break to read through forums, go play a Facebook game, read a couple of forum boards somewhere. Those frequent, short breaks really help my concentration quite a bit. And it allows my brain too cool down do to over-exertion...

Wait, that's what actually works for me. How did I forget that? Must be sleep deprivation.

It is 6:30AM and I am still up doing design work, and I probably won't even be able to sleep tonight either.

Someone shoot me.

*shoots Fidds with a sleep ray*

Let's see...I have 2 finals and 4 final projects/papers left. But this will be the LAST TIME for me! YAY! 15 days 12 hours 56 minutes and 10 seconds until I graduate!

Man, there are all sorts of reasons to congratulate you lately, aren't there? Congratulations!

My stress relief suggestion is come to Friday sports with the Physics dept. We're playing kickball then going to dinner then probably a ton of video games before studying. Whoo video games!

You sound exactly like my friend Whatsisface. Exactly. Maybe I should go play kickball with one of you. Both games are on Friday, so I shall have to choose!

I'll add this anecdote from my experience in law school, where in some courses the final exam grade pretty much determined the course grade (!!!). The young woman who finished first in our class (out of more than 200 students) NEVER studied the night before the exam. She went to a movie or went bowling instead, to take her mind off school and have some fun. I'm not necessarily recommending that, but it is absolutely true that cramming late into the night before an exam is an absolutely terrible idea.

I think he is very concerned about our stress levels. I admire that in a prof. I think I'll take him along to kickball.

[Shoyru_Lover]

Regan I totally know how you feel. This last semester for me was very painful - I kicked up this huge fuss for every piece of assessment that was due. Call it last-semester-itis I suppose.

Knuckle down... do it. You'll feel better afterwards. And then be happy when it is done!!

[Pudding]

I think I have hit upon the best way to relax during finals: make paper snowflakes. Out of your most hated assignments/handouts.

You have no idea how cathartic it is to just cut up a case study about the World Bank and the Asian Financial Crisis that caused you so much stress two months ago. It's a good, brainless way to hang out with your friends and relax when you really need a study break. It's also very entertaining to read your friends' assignments as you're cutting them up--I now know that my friends majoring in organizational management have actually written papers about taking naps at work.

And, you wind up with pretty snowflakes with which to decorate your dorm, or the dorms of your friends!

(Obviously, you should only do this with bits of paper that you have absolutely no chance of ever using again and also have several backups of just in case.)

[Katherine]

I think I have hit upon the best way to relax during finals: make paper snowflakes. Out of your most hated assignments/handouts.

You have no idea how cathartic it is to just cut up a case study about the World Bank and the Asian Financial Crisis that caused you so much stress two months ago. It's a good, brainless way to hang out with your friends and relax when you really need a study break. It's also very entertaining to read your friends' assignments as you're cutting them up--I now know that my friends majoring in organizational management have actually written papers about taking naps at work.

And, you wind up with pretty snowflakes with which to decorate your dorm, or the dorms of your friends!

(Obviously, you should only do this with bits of paper that you have absolutely no chance of ever using again and also have several backups of just in case.)

You've got to do it the right way. BONFIRE!

(Seriously, my friends burn all their stuff at the end of the year, and if they need it, they just ask me.)

[Siniri]

I think I have hit upon the best way to relax during finals: make paper snowflakes. Out of your most hated assignments/handouts.

You've got to do it the right way. BONFIRE!
(Seriously, my friends burn all their stuff at the end of the year, and if they need it, they just ask me.)

I have not tried the snowflake method. I will confirm that the bonfire is cathartic. However, my all-time favorite method is to take the final exam booklet (or my formula sheet if we were allowed to make one -- especially if it's nice and sturdy from multiple layers of tape) and just tear it. Optionally accompanied by a scream (well, roar, really). That's what I did after my last exam in undergrad -- physical chemistry.

I've finished my 3 in-class exams. Now I have 3 take-homes to finish in the next 2 days and one last project. But 3 of my classes are completely done -- just 4 more to go!

[Cerise]

Reading all this makes me feel lucky that my finals are easy and I loved all the classes I took.

I have to say though that my Spanish professor was a horrible horrible teacher. I wanted to continue with Spanish next semester, but I can't take the attitude. Everything about her is snooty and condescending. Every other sentence was an insult regarding our intelligence. And every sentence in between the insults was about her perfect son, who had a 101% in his beginner's Spanish class. And knew everything that we struggle with at age 10.

[Shoyru_Lover]

You could also try throwing your text books and note books off a cliff. It works wonders.

[Pudding]

Every other sentence was an insult regarding our intelligence. And every sentence in between the insults was about her perfect son, who had a 101% in his beginner's Spanish class. And knew everything that we struggle with at age 10.

Well, languages are easier to learn when you're young. It also probably helps to live with a Spanish professor. You, on the other hand, had to have courage for your intellectual battles! *fistbump*

You could also try throwing your text books and note books off a cliff. It works wonders.

That sounds like an excellent visual: watching your educational materials tumble gracefully to the ground below, surrounded by trees and eagles and Smokey the Bear and all that sort of thing.

Knowing my luck lately, the $1000 fine for littering would probably kill the joy of that.

[Shoyru_Lover]

It's only a fine if you get caught.

[theonlysaneone]

Rant: I just found out yesterday that my finals are going to last longer than expected.

Rave: I made a 98 on my Texas Government final!