Candi Santana

Staff Writer

It’s that point in the semester when work is piled up and due dates are getting closer. Finals week is finally upon us, and students may wonder why it’s so difficult.

Every student has a specific way of managing and completing work. Students can get overwhelmed and lose motivation, so it is important to know what other strategies are at their disposal.

ESU Junior Rowan Medcraft said, “Don’t underestimate finals because a lot of your classes are a big part of your grade.”

Medcraft emphasized the workload of the current semester. He explained he enjoys keeping busy and uses his time wisely. He also said that he usually has work open and ready whenever he opens his computer.

On the other hand, Junior Justin Cook said organization is key. The way he focuses is by being conscious and knowing. Organizing by importance is necessary to succeed.

“I would recommend getting your finals in order and putting them in a place where you know you’ll see them. You should also get all your work together and do them in succession.”

Although finals are difficult, some students will find the solution to be a change in environment. On campus, we provide many places to study and concentrate. The library and The Union are great places to go and study.

The library opens at 7:30 a.m. and closes at midnight. If you’re having difficulty understanding your work, the library provides tutors and a writing studio free of charge.

Sophomore Reina Ortiz said, “Honestly, I would say go to the library every day after class. You don’t want to let the work build up and do it last minute. I make an agenda so I can do everything before it’s due.”

Similarly to Ortiz, freshman Nemesis Velazquez also enjoys studying in the library. She recommends to utilize and take advantage of the resources provided by the school. Although she is new to finals, she said she’d advise any new student to use the library.

Nemesis Velazquez said, “I just go straight to the library after class, and I make sure I don’t leave until I have accomplished a certain amount of work. The way I have been lasting is I go to tutoring and ask my classmate questions.”

School work is really important but so is decompressing. Velazquez said that although she works a lot in the library, she gives herself breaks in between assignments. She walks around and grabs snacks before returning to school work.

The tricks to a successful finals week are organization and readiness. If those two tricks seem unattainable, then maybe the library is for you. Students use the library as a quiet place and as a tool to improve with help.

These tips and tricks can be used at the beginning of a semester or the midterms. If you don’t think any of these tips would work, like Velazquez, ask a classmate. You can take these tricks, or use the ideas to improve on yours. Learning is forever changing.