December is officially here. Snow is falling in central Maine. It will be dark by 4:15 – just one of the many benefits of living within spitting distance of the arctic circle. The last of the Thanksgiving leftovers are either gone or inedible. And the fall academic term is drawing to a close at colleges across the United States.
With end-of-term assignments coming due and exams fast approaching, campus coffee consumption and late night pizza sales are on the rise, sleep and laser printer cartridges are in short supply, and literally millions of students are taking part in the centuries old tradition of putting off their school work by cleaning their dorm rooms for the first time since parents’ weekend.
For new college students and their parents the first college exam period can be particularly stressful and anxiety producing. The term papers and lab reports are more complex and demanding. The exams are longer and cover more material. And because there tend to be fewer graded assignments over the course of the semester, the stakes seem to be much higher than in high school.
Relax. It’s all good. You’ve got this.
But just for good measure here are a few tips for end-of-term and exam period success.
- Continue to go to class, take good notes, complete the reading, and turn in your assignments on time. That’s right. Just by doing all the things you are supposed to do – and have done all semester – you put yourself in the best possible position to succeed on final assignments and exams.
- Create an end-of-term/exam study plan. Bust out your calendar and note all your exams and major assignments on the dates when they are due. Then map out your strategy for completing each assignment and preparing for your exams in the time that you have available. Whenever possible, do work for multiple courses each day. Spread the work out and move between subjects. Studying for exams and working on big projects over time allows you to reflect on, and more fully digest the ideas and concepts. In the end, your writing will be better and your understanding of key material will be more complete.
- Utilize any and all help resources. Participate in study groups. Go to extra help sessions. Talk to your instructors and TAs about questions you have. Go to the writing center. These resources exist to help you learn and succeed. Not using them is like leaving money on the table.
- Get plenty of sleep, eat right, and exercise. Yeah, I know I sound like your parents. But, hey, good advice is good advice. And in all seriousness, taking care of yourself physically is a big part of being able to do your best work intellectually.
- Work hard, play smart. So, it’s the last day of classes. You’ve turned in your fifth paper since you got back from Thanksgiving break. And, between the weekend and reading period you have four days until your first exam. Time to PARTY, right? Well, okay. But think hard about what your version of PARTY entails. You might have four days until your exam, but getting drunk or stoned adversely impacts your cognitive functioning for several days. By all means, go out and have a good time with friends. Just keep in mind that the choices you make on Friday and Saturday may prevent you from doing your best work for a week or more.
- Clarify rules and expectations, and follow them. The end-of-term crunch is when the majority of academic dishonesty problems occur – more often than not because people get behind, put things off until the last minute, and make serious mistakes either out of exhaustion or desperation. Either way, it’s bad and you don’t want any part of it. So, make sure you clarify with your instructors what the rules are regarding working with classmates, using notes or texts on exams, and citing sources on written assignments. And just for the record, it is way better to do poorly on an exam than to cheat if you’re not prepared. Seriously, aside from the fact that cheating is unethical and immoral, it is far easier to explain a low grade than an academic dishonesty finding on your record. Of course, if you follow the steps outlined above you will be good to go and don’t need to worry about this.
No doubt, the time between now and the day you head home for the holidays is going to be a bit of a grind. But the good news is you’re up to it and you’ll be on break before you know it.
Bonus tip for parents and family members.
Odds are good that when your student is feeling most anxious about the end of the semester they will vent to you. Believe me when I say that I understand how it feels when your child is stressed out and unloads on you. Or just as bad, how it feels when your child is NOT stressed out or anxious about exams but should be. I appreciate the impulse that makes us want to jump in and make things better. It’s what we’ve been instructed to do since they were in pre-school. But college is different. College is when they need to step up and we need to step back*.
Coping with stress and anxiety are part of college because they are part of life. Our job as parents is to reassure our children that we love them, that we are always there for them, and above all, that they are up to whatever challenges they face.
It’s good advice because it’s true.
*NOTE: My advice here is focused on the kinds of pressure and stress college students routinely encounter at the academic crunch times. However, if you have concerns about your child’s health or safety you should contact the appropriate health and support resources at his/her college for assistance.
