As temperatures rise so does students’ anticipation for their busy workload to dwindle down and the start of summer to ensue.
The lingering feelings of anxiety and stress are not forgotten, though, as this spring semester begins its final stretch with final exams.
Students from all majors and departments are feeling the intensity and stress of studying for all of their class exams as UCA’s two-week mark hits.
Nursing, public relations and data analytics majors alike are feeling the pressure from this time of year.
“I applied for the nursing program, and I’ll know in May if I get in,” Sophomore nursing major Erica Gourley said.
“It’s stressful because the grades I end up getting are pretty much the determining factor of whether or not I get in and they only let a certain amount of people in,” Gourley said.
There are many students in UCA’s nursing program who are feeling the pressure of maintaining a high GPA.
Niyati Nagin is another Nursing major who is working toward a minor in general business and has also applied for nursing school.
“I’ve been trying to keep up and stay on top of everything, but all of my teachers are doing something different and they’re all piling it on at the very last minute so that’s kind of stressful overall,” Nagin said.
It’s important for students to be mentally prepared for their end-of-semester tests but also take steps to allow relief and rest during these busy times.
“I do yoga and play soccer, which I think really helps my stress levels, and I get enough sleep which helps me stay sane,” Gourley said.
Sophomore and public relations major Elena Montalvo said, “I like to cut myself off around 11:30 p.m. at night, I’m not going to do any more homework or anything like that after that time. I allow myself to chill for 30-40 minutes before I go to bed.”
It’s not just tests and GPA students have to worry about; their jobs, campus involvement and social relationships are factors in a busy and time-consuming semester.
“On top of that [final exams] going to work and coming back to do schoolwork is hard to balance,” Nagin said.
Freshman Lauren Goodman expressed the need for balance between all of a student’s responsibilities and activities.
“I would say it’s definitely been stressful, but if you get on top of it and can balance studying with other fun things and activities you can stop it from dominating your life,” Goodman said.
Similarly, Sophomore and data analytics major with a minor in math, Lindsay Shields, expressed the importance of support during this time of year.
“It’s stressful, but I feel like keeping friends around you that are also going through the same thing and supporting you by doing work together is good,” Shields said.
No matter what year you are or what you’re studying, finals can be stress-inducing but there is hope. There are ways to get ahead, balance your obligations and still have a good time while getting ready for your upcoming tests.
Final exams begin on Saturday, April 26 and will continue for the rest of that week.
