I had a dream last night that I’m failing my finals. So, I’m writing this post on how finals can be a stressful time for college students. With a combination of studying for tests, completing assignments, and trying to balance their social lives, it can be overwhelming to try and keep up. This pressure can lead to anxiety and depression and can be difficult to manage during this already hectic season.
Stress and anxiety can lead to a feeling of being overwhelmed, where the student is not sure where to begin studying and feels like they do not have enough time to do everything they need to. The fear of taking a test and the pressure to perform well can be incredibly intimidating, making it difficult for the student to focus and retain the knowledge they have studied. Difficulties in managing time, getting enough sleep, and managing other commitments can add to the stress of school, leading to increased anxiety around test-taking. With all these pressures, it is not hard to see why managing test anxiety can be difficult for college students during finals.
Test anxiety can be particularly difficult to manage during finals. It is a feeling of fear and dread that can cause physical symptoms such as a racing heart, sweating, or difficulty breathing. This fear can be so intense that it can cause students to freeze up or blank out during the test, leading to a lower grade despite all their studying. It is important for students to try and manage this anxiety to be able to perform their best on their exams. But the pressure of taking a test, coupled with the fear of not performing well, can easily cause someone to spiral. This can lead to a feeling of helplessness and a lack of confidence in the student’s ability to do well.
It’s never easy to try and manage test anxiety, especially for college students who already have a lot on their plate. It can leave them feeling overwhelmed, out of control, and scared that their academic performance will suffer. Furthermore, it is understandable why finals can be an especially daunting time for college students. Not only do they have to balance their studies and social lives, but they are also faced with the immense pressure of performing well on their exams. This can cause a great amount of stress, as students want to get good grades and fulfill the expectations of their professors and parents. Furthermore, there is not much opportunity for a student to make up for any mistakes made during the tests, so doing well can seem even more important.
During finals, students may even feel a sense of guilt or shame if they are not able to get the grade they desire. This pressure can lead to both physical and emotional stress, making it very difficult to focus on the task at hand. It is important for students to take time to relax and practice self-care to stay focused and manage the stress of their finals. Taking time to step away from studying and engaging in activities like yoga, spending time with friends, or taking a break can help students stay on track and feel more motivated to work hard during this already stressful period.
Unruly Bodies 
My generalized anxiety ass always has nightmares about assignments, that I missed a due date or turned in the wrong thing or something along those lines. I recently learned that not only anxiety but perfectionism is something I suffer from and that perfectionism causes a big problem with procrastination. I procrastinate doing things because I figure whatever I produce won’t be good enough so why do it at all? I’m sure a lot of us suffer from the same thing but its good to kinda know why I procrastinate so much on assignments.
I completely understand where you’re coming from. The stress of this still ongoing pandemic and weather changes only furthers the anxiety, seasonal depression, as well as illnesses that can affect us all during finals season. It gets so hard to keep up with assignments and deadlines become daunting. It’s so important to take breaks in between, but that can even seem hard with our timelines. Thank you for sharing, and I hope you have a feeling of relief after finishing finals.
I hate tests so much, its so frustrating. I get anxious over the stupidest things, and even when I know I will do well my OCD will cause so many intrusive thoughts making me question and doubt and feel like I did terrible. I also often make stupid mistakes due to my ADHD, and it kills me when I lose points due to forgetting what the question actually is or something stupid like that.
Excellent post and I feel that the key to your entry and anxiety (cmon, lets face it, we all get Nervous) about finals/finals week is spot on. The solutions to relaxing a bit is definitely the best part about your blog and I am left her thinking of one question; Is finals week an accurate representation of the real world? Will we have some important deadline or assignment that we have to complete when we get into our careers that will require tedious studying?
Hey, trust me – you’re not alone. I still have nightmares from my high school days and I graduated almost 10 years ago! It’s strange how certain trauma festers and shows itself subconsciously. Even now, I still have trouble taking exams and tend to overthink every single question, especially when there’s a time constraint involved. With finals coming up, I’m beginning to feel like my heart’s coming out of my chest, but I know I’ve worked hard this semester and I feel like preparation eases me a little more. Thanks for sharing and I wish you the best!
This is so common among so many students, if i’m being honest i’ve worked myself up over a the amount of work ahead of me for finals. It’s so stressful and such a hit to my anxiety that it causes me to do exactly what I was worried i’d do. Which leaves me in such a worse spot than I was before it all the work came. Not to mention with seasonal depression pulling yourself out of bed is hard enough let alone remembering and applying things from months ago. This was great thanks for sharing you will make it through.
Last night I had a dream about me taking my final. I woke up yesterday thinking that it has passed, and I can get on with my life. I was wrong. It also comforts me that I have ample time to study before this test, but I still have anxiety about it.
I’m kind of the other way; I have always struggled with turning things in on time mostly cause im lazy and then forget about the assignment so I tend to get bad grades even if I understand the topic. But in the case of tests/exams, the homework load is reduced and all I need to do is come in, answer questions that I know the answers to, and move on with my free day
Hello,
This is a tough thing to deal with. I enjoyed reading your perspective and knowing that others are also on the same boat. My friend has test anxiety and it’s been pretty rough for her. Acknowldging and getting the help you need is crucial. You can maybe try reaching out to your academic advocate who is on your myumbc profile.