By Elizabeth Grande
Finals week is in full swing, and Loyola University Chicago students are do whatever they can to cope.
As final week enters its last few days, students are using various methods to make it to summer.
Some students have been planning for exams all semester and are using the week to review.
Other students have waited until the last-minute to start studying and are spending this week “cramming” to make up for lost time.
“I make a promise to myself every semester that I will keep up with my class readings and start studying for finals long before the end of the semester,” said Graham Willer, “but somehow I always fall behind and am forced to teach myself a semester’s worth of information in just days.”
Study methods can be a great determinant of the level of stress and anxiety that students’ experience.
“Finals are not my favorite thing in the world but I don’t mind them…in the past four years I have developed really good study habits,” said Christian Krueger, 22, a senior finance major.
Loyola provides resources for students that need help managing the pressures of final examinations.
“As much as I hate finals, I love finals week because of all the cool stuff Loyola plans for us, “said Megan Bupre, 21, a junior nursing major, “I couldn’t even imagine how stressed I would be without it, “
Every year Loyola develops new ways to alleviate exam stress and offer students a break from their studies.
This year students will be able to make hour-long appointments with Tivo, Loyola’s therapy dog.
Students can spend time with the 5-year-old black Labrador retriever at Loyola’s Wellness Center any day this week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“I am so excited for Tivo,” said MadaIina Buscani, “I have a black lab at home in the suburbs that always cheers me up when I’m feeling down.”
Loyola will also offer meditation classes at the Wellness Center this week.
“I’ve personally benefited from the Wellness Center’s mindfulness session, which have allowed me to stop what I’m doing and focus in on the physical and mental strain I may be experiencing…I highly encourage anyone with raised anxiety levels to check them out,” said Pedro Guerrero, 21, a junior political science and international studies major.
Loyola students have to find ways to relive their stress if they want to do well this week because overextension is unhealthy and can cause students to score worse on exams.
“If I could give Loyola students one piece of advice from college, it would be to stay hydrated, get enough sleep and remember to take study breaks during finals,” said Bay Abbot, 21, a junior accounting major. “You will feel better, look better and score better…I promise.”
