Coming to terms that end is near; the final countdown is here

Michael Guido, News Editor

For some reason, the Kenny Loggins’ song “This Is It” keeps floating around in my mind as we approach finals week, everyone’s favorite time of the semester.
OK, maybe not everyone’s favorite time, more like the time of the semester everyone dreads, and to some extent with good reason.
This is the week that pretty much all students are being buried with end of the semester exams, projects and papers.
It’s by this point most students come back from a few days of lounging around and getting out of their daily schedule, only to return and be hounded with deadlines, due dates and everything in between.
The best analogy I can think of to describe this crazy time of year is this meme I saw that compared finals time to the video game Mario Kart.
The meme basically compared the two by saying finals week was like the final lap, where the music picks up pace and everything becomes very stressful; may I say I’ve never heard of a more accurate analogy.
To the average student, this can all be very overwhelming and stressful. I know myself I have five exams next week, as well as some other nail-bitter obligations I’m finishing up, and the thought of all that has made my blood pressure rise at certain times.
However, it’s key to remember that we’ve come this far, and we don’t have much farther to travel.
In less than two weeks’ time, we’ll all be home, singing our favorite holiday songs, preparing for holiday celebrations and making plans the ring in the new year, leaving all the classroom drama in the dust.
So, while it may seem hopeless, and you may feel as if you’re running on fumes, know you’ve worked hard to get to this point, and it would be a shame to let all your successes and educational progress go to waste at the very end, all because you lost the energy and drive.
Take a moment to breathe, and plan how the remainder of the semester will play out; you are in control of your own destiny, so it’ll be whatever you make of it.
Keep in mind that students who are in the same classes as you are stressing about the same things, so maybe plan on studying together, or checking in to make sure everyone is doing OK.
And remember that your professors are there to help you. Speak up if something doesn’t make sense or you’re struggling with a certain topic; they’ll certainly do their best to help.
But most importantly, use the little time you have to grind it out and finish strong. You’ll regret it later that you didn’t.

MICHAEL GUIDO
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