7 Ways UW-Milwaukee Students are Getting Through Finals Week

While many universities have wrapped up the fall semester and sent students home for the holidays, UW-Milwaukee students are in the midst of cramming for the stressful days ahead. Wednesday marks the final day of classes, but some students are assigned due dates and test times into next week.

As this time of year can take a toll on the mental and physical wellbeing of students, it is important to follow guidelines that are curated for your path to success. Avoid pulling out every last strand of hair, sleepless nights and a lack of focus by considering the tools your Milwaukee peers are using to get them through their final responsibilities of the semester.

1. Take online exams ASAP

Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, a fair sum of classes and exams get moved online. To steer clear of procrastination or forgetting about a deadline, take your online exams as soon as they are available. Getting those out of the way will relieve stress and open your schedule as the week goes on.

“In my case, most of my finals are online,” Alex Browne, sophomore at UW-Milwaukee, said. “Take them as soon as they open up to get them out of the way, and have music at a very low volume in the background. That helps me clear my head during finals.”

2. Spread out your studying

Let’s say you have three exams and two projects due on Friday. Instead of attempting to comprehend a semesters worth of material in one night and throwing together pieces of information for a presentation, assign classes to individual days of the week. This won’t lower your workload, but it will heighten your chance of success.

“I’m just trying to focus on getting through one more week of studying — just been starting stuff early and pacing it out, rather than cramming right before,” Owen Dailey, nursing student at UW-Milwaukee, said.

3. Keep your eyes on the finish line

You are so close. After you have completed your last exam or pressed submit on that last assignment, you have one month to relax, and aim your focus elsewhere. Head into the holidays feeling like you did the best you could, and feel free to brag to family and friends about how you absolutely killed finals week.

“For me, it’s just about thinking that it’s the end and that I won’t have to worry about it for however long the break is,” junior Ismael Bastardo said. “I’m just surviving.”

4. Take “motivation breaks”

Some people don’t stop until they finish, but that doesn’t always mean they are being productive. Don’t let yourself get to the point of wanting to throw your computer across the room or scream out your window. Instead of scaring your roommate, try doing one or two hours worth of work, and reward yourself with a 10-15 minute break.

“It helps to give yourself motivation breaks,” Chloe Oberman, communication sciences and disorders student, said. “For one break, I will eat a snack. For another, I’ll get to go on TikTok and other small things like that.”

5. Find options for locations to study

Silence and isolation may work for some, but if you are not that type of student, don’t force yourself to be. Staying cooped up in your dorm room or apartment all week could decrease your motivation due to feeling irritable and lonely. Take advantage of the plethora of coffee shops in the City of Milwaukee, the Golda Meir Library and study spots within the student union.

“To get through finals week, I will usually try to study in multiple places to keep myself up and moving,” senior Madison Parola said. “That could be the library, my apartment or a coffee shop. I firmly believe that you should treat yourself extra, when you’re sacrificing a lot of time, so I tend to buy a lot of coffee instead of making it at home. While I do not encourage this financial decision, I can say that it has brought my mood up dramatically.”

6. Life will go on

Can you believe this costs money? You did this to yourself, and you’re in too deep now. You might as well have something to show for what it’s taken you to get here. This week is key to retain or enhance your GPA, but if something backfires, you cannot let yourself dwell on it for more than a few days — just do better next semester.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself,” Parola said. “You’ll get through it. Make sure to prioritize your education, since you’ve decided to go through higher education. You’re the only person that’s responsible for your success.”

7. Laugh through the pain

This may seem to clash with the idea of taking care of your mental and physical well-being, but laughter has been proven to make it easier to cope with difficult situations. In 10 years, you will be chuckling, remembering all the tears you shed over an exam that took one hour of your time. You might as well start coming to terms with it now.

“Once I notice myself getting frustrated and tears falling down my face, I try my best to laugh at myself and remember that we’re all just doing the best we can,” Katelyn Pfeifer, communications student, said.