Now that Thanksgiving is over, students at Howard have to prepare for final exams. However, preparing for finals has left many students stressed out about their grades.
"I'm freaking out about finals because I have them all in a row," freshman biology major Rebecca Hickam said. "I have no breaks, and college finals I know are so much different from high school finals so I find it all very intimidating," Hickman added.
Preparing for finals can be a difficult task and students are preparing for them in various ways. Some perform specific rituals before taking their finals.
Said senior advertising major Mayo Loving, "I don't eat eggs the day of my test because in the fourth grade I ate eggs in the morning and I felt terrible the whole day."
Junior English major Jessica Abram said she prays before she hands in her test. "As soon as I finish my test I put my head down and pray on it and then I turn it in," Abram said. "Prayer always works for me. A few times I forgot to pray and I definitely failed my test."
Sophomore English major Jasmine Fletcher is preparing for finals by studying and sleeping. "I think it's very important to prepare for finals by studying but a lot of students forget to get enough sleep, if you don't get a good amount of sleep then you can't focus when it's time to study or take your final," Fletcher said. Sophomore advertising major Imani Sanders prepares for finals by holding study groups and attending review sessions with her professors.
In addition to the obvious benefits of rest, finding a good place to study is another key factor in doing well on finals.
Many students think the different libraries are the best place to study on campus because they stay open late. Senior psychology major Jenna Dixon said she prefers the Health Sciences library because it is a quiet, nice environment. But she advises students to get there early because after 6:30 p.m. She said it is hard to find a seat.
The one thing most students agreed on is that the Undergraduate Library is not a place to do serious studying, but a place to hang out.
"People go to UGL to hang out not to study, you can't do any real studying there because it's too noisy," senior advertising major Imani Sanders said. "People call it Club UGL because it's a good social spot and it doesn't close during the week of finals."
Senior biology major Jason Henderson believes there are no good places on campus to study and goes off campus to study.
"Sometimes I go to the Georgetown library to study because I work nearby and it's always quiet," he said.
However, studying on campus for those who have no choice can be really difficult since the libraries are usually packed.
Said junior political science major Aspen Blake, "I can't study in my room because it's too distracting so I sometimes study in the Human Ecology Building or in the School of Engineering because they are usually open late."
The finals period is also a stressful time for professors as well.
Said Fang Wu a professor in the School Education, "Finals are very stressful because you have to think about all the papers you have to grade and there is a deadline to record the final grade."
Wu continued, "On the other hand I look forward to going through and grading finals because I get to evaluate my own teaching effectiveness through student's work."
Janice Trent, a lecturer in the School of Communications agrees.
"We want to see our students do well and we hope that they utilize their study time during the course of the semester," Trent said.
Franklin Knox, a psychology intern at the Mental Health Clinic recommended students get plenty of rest, avoid alcohol and caffeine and find a support system. "It's good to have someone to talk to," Knox said. "Students tend to keep things inside [and] it's important to vent because it releases energy."
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