As finals week approaches, many Weber State University students will prepare to take their finals. Many students spend several days and nights studying to make sure they get a great final grade in their classes. However, some students might feel a lot of anxiety and stress surrounding taking their finals.
“Every Finals week, you are bound to see a little stress, but as long as you make sure you show up with enough time for the exam, eat well beforehand and give yourself time to prepare mentally. It sounds silly, but I think just make sure you studied what you need to and give yourself enough rest beforehand,” Jaeger Schuelke, the library testing center coordinator said.
Many students even neglect sleep and some meals during finals week, which can heavily impact exam performance.
Weber State offers resources for students who are facing stress during finals. One of those resources is the Stress Relief Center in the Swenson Building. The stress center offers massage chairs, tea, hot chocolate and various other stress-relieving tactics.“We usually have an increase in students that come down here two weeks before finals week,” Megan Chamber, an intern at the Stress Relief Center, said. “The center gives them time to unwind and to work on their mental and physical health. Some people stay for five minutes and some for a couple of hours — it depends on what they need or want.”
Finals week can be stressful, but it’s important to remember that preparing both mentally and physically is key to performing the best one can. By prioritizing sleep, maintaining good nutrition, and taking advantage of resources like Weber State’s Stress Relief Center, students can better manage anxiety and approach their exams with confidence.
However, it’s also worth considering whether finals, as an age-old tradition, truly measure the full scope of a student’s knowledge. As former Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme once said, “Society is the work of men. If something is wrong, we can change it.“ Perhaps this is an opportunity to reflect on the way we approach education and whether there might be alternative ways to assess learning that are more inclusive and less stressful. Regardless, taking care of one’s well-being and using the resources available is the best way to navigate the challenges of finals week.
