Students will have a little extra time to study for finals this semester. Two study days are scheduled for the Thursday and Friday after the last day of class, April 25.
Study days are built into each semester's schedule, but the past several semesters the Saturday and Sunday after classes end have been considered the study days.
"I love the fact that we have two study days during the week this semester," said Sarah Clayton, senior in nutrition. "A couple of my professors have scheduled study sessions on that Thursday and Friday during normal class time, and we couldn't do that if the study days were on the weekend."
Lola Fisher, junior in laboratory technology, said she also thinks the study days before the weekend will help her better prepare for exams.
"The end of every semester can be really stressful, and having these couple of days at the end of the week will allow students to space out their study time and give us a chance to breathe before the tests start," Fisher said.
Robert Jaffe, member of the schedule and calendar committee of the SGA senate, said having the study days before the weekend was not a matter of student or faculty requests.
He also said it wasn't because the committee felt students needed more time to study.
"We have always thought that Saturday and Sunday was enough time to get studying done for exams," Jaffe said.
"We have students that sit on the committee and some of them said the two extra days before the weekend were too many and that people may lose focus with that much time before exams begin."
He said the committee makes a calendar for each school year and that it must include 70-73 class days per senate requirements.
"When we make the calendar, our goal is to end class on a Friday every time," Jaffe said. "This year we had 72 class days and the final day landed on April 25, which is a Wednesday."
Fisher said the weekend alone is not enough time for most students to finish all of their studying.
"In most cases, the weekend is already study time," Fisher said. "Getting the extra days at the end of the weeks is really what helps us out."
Jaffe said in past semesters exams began on Thursday and continued the following Monday.
"We didn't like the weekend breaking the tests up," Jaffe said.
Jaffe said the committee attempts to make calendars three years in advance and that they are trying their best to have classes end on Friday each semester.
"We want to be consistent and establish a pattern of ending on the same day," Jaffe said.
Fisher said she thinks most students will benefit from having the extra days.
"I was excited when I found out that we had Thursday and Friday to study," Fisher said. "I am kind of disappointed that it won't be like that every time."
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