Syd Speaks: Approaching Finals Week

Sydney Barber

Staff Writer

Dear Syd,

Finals are coming up, and I haven’t cracked open half my textbooks. Is it too late to salvage my grades…or my sanity?

– Anonymous

Dearest stressed-out reader,

I don’t think you should completely lose hope yet! There are definitely ways to still bring up your grade in the final weeks of the semester. 

Firstly, a lot of the time, the final few assignments and exams of the semester are worth more than those at the beginning or middle;  so check your syllabi to see those percentages. 

Generally, if you strive to do well on the final few assignments, your grade should increase. 

Talk to your professors! I say this time and time again!! They want to help you, and they’re there for you, so use it! 

There may be extra credit opportunities they can provide, or at the very least, they can clarify final essay prompts or final exam material for you. 

Form study groups and seek help from the Academic Support Center. Finals week is stressful for everyone on campus, so leaning on each other for support is really important. 

But with that, remember to take breaks and get enough sleep (that’s how you’ll maintain your sanity at least!).

Another thing that may give you hope (though this is certainly not the case for all classes or professors) is that sometimes, at the end of the semester, between taking your final exams and professors uploading your grades, they may decide to curve final grades if they see the whole class struggling. But again, don’t rely on this!

Happy studying! You got this!

As always, take care of yourselves and give yourself some grace!

~Syd <3