The Finals Countdown

Finals– two syllables that strike fear into the hearts of every TWAMP on campus, sending us running straight into the arms of Swem, or to Wawa to grab 24oz coffees. Those two weeks at the end of the semester when the campus shuts down, the College Delly goes quiet, and the Sunken Garden is empty, are some of the hardest and most trying weeks of the semester, but fear not, you’ll make it through finals intact and just in time for Winter Break.

For freshmen: This is your first round of finals at W&M, and you’ll probably want to go all out and partake in all of our crazy traditions, like trying to sleep in the library and pull consecutive all-nighters. Don’t do it. While finals are important, and you’ll want to do well, no grade is worth sacrificing your heath and well-being for. Don’t forget to take study breaks, laugh with friends, peruse Buzzfeed, and eat dinner. Domino’s delivers pizza to Swem, and they also take Flex, so there really isn’t a good reason to forget to eat. And remember, regardless of what your grades may ultimately be—it’s just one class, in one semester, in your first year of college. There will be many more chances to redeem a grade you weren’t happy with, and if you did well, don’t forget to celebrate! Go home, watch Netflix, and enjoy the holidays with your family as you prepare for next semester.

For upperclassmen: We’ll survive this finals period the same way we’ve survived the last two, four, or six. We know the drill by now, we know exactly when the therapy dogs will be on campus and we know to avoid Swem in favor of less crowded study venues. We have perfected the perfect balance of studying and procrastinating, maximizing our Facebook stalking and minimizing our sleep. We’ve been here before, we know finals aren’t fun, but we also know we’ll get through it more or less in one piece.

You can do it, guys. Don’t forget to live, laugh, breathe, and see Taylor Reveley at Yule Log this coming Saturday. Happy finals, and may the odds be ever in your favor.