Coffee lines longer than usual. More time required to find a library parking spot. Pens. Highlighters. Study Packets. Each floor of the library packed with students, each setting a tone for who is occupying its study cubbies. All of these elements can only mean one thing: Finals!
As students come close to concluding yet another semester, panic and stress again creep in, occupying students' time and messing with their sleep schedules.
"I have four finals, and I don't know how I am going to study for all of them in the next week," said Kelsey Voit, a sophomore in biomedical sciences. "They are all crammed into three days, and Dead Day does not give me enough time to study."
Though this week can get hectic, students should still monitor their health. Pulling an all-nighter study session won't just be hard on student's body, but it can also have the reverse affects on memorizing information.
Keith Cates, an academic counselor with Academic Support Services, said pulling an all-nighter isn't efficient. With a week before the first final, students should start studying now in sections each day.
"If you spread (studying) out, your retention goes up, your memory goes up," Cates said. "It makes it easier to approach. Success is repetition."
Cates also said small studying breaks are essential. He explained how changing study environments as well as altering study methods can help students retain more information.
"Study 30 minutes in one place, then change your environment, otherwise you can get so bummed out," Cates said. "Find ways to stay engaged. If you lose that focus, you lose that retention power."
Staying engaged in the material can be difficult. Cates recommended students try participating in study sessions, reviewing homework and using colored note cards. Anything that could change up boring study habits and keep the material from seeming monotonous could improve retention.
Not only do finals have students in hype, but the city of Auburn becomes aware of this stressful time period, too, which is one beneficial factor of finals. Some local businesses even accommodate for students' late hours.
For finals, Taylor's Bakery will stay open on Friday nights until 1 a.m., as opposed to its usual closing at 6 p.m. The Gnu's Room by Amsterdam Cafe has said it too will extend its hours for finals, staying opening until 10 p.m.
For some students, the often packed library is a place to avoid. However, one tradition keeps students aware of the time: 3 a.m. doughnuts.
"I wake up for those doughnuts," said Kelly Frechette, sophomore in graphic design. "I set my alarm clock to wake up and go to the library at 3 a.m. Actually, I set it for 2:50 a.m."
Though breaking up the material is ideal, for some students it's either not an option or is difficult to break old habits. But Cates said studying a semester's worth of information in two days is an unrealistic expectation. For more information, study tips, or counseling, Cates said the Academic Support is a service available for all students. Academic Support is located in Cater Hall and can be reached at 844-5972.
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