“Why study for a final exam when you could spend those precious minutes preparing for a unit test on the final day of classes” exclaimed Ian Clark ’23. Clark, like many other students at St. Lawrence University has entered the homestretch of the academic year, which means they now have a more intense workload than at any other point during the spring semester.
PHOTO CREDIT: ZACH JAWORSKI ’25
The final day of classes this semester is Friday, May 5. Traditionally, this day has been used to prepare for final exams, work on final projects and in some cases reflect on what was learned. However, some individuals have raised concerns about the alternate uses of this time in some of their classes this week. An eclectic group of students concentrated in different academic disciplines report that professors are holding unit examinations this week in addition to expecting students to work on final projects they require to be turned in next week.
Jacee Casebolt ’23 and Autumn Sherman ’23 are both enrolled in German 104, an intermediate level course taught in the Monday/Wednesday/Friday format. For this class, students were assigned a final project where they were asked to synthesize an alternate ending to the German play Der Besuch der Alten Dame, which is due next Tuesday. However, students in this class now also have a unit exam to study for, which added onto their already heavy workload.
“Never in our eight semesters at this university has finals season ever been so stressful.”
“Never in our eight semesters at this university has finals season ever been so stressful.During the final week of classes, when we should not have any exams, we have two final exams on the same day which is extra stressful with our extracurricular activities and final projects” collectively exclaimed Sherman and Casebolt. “In addition to all this stress, one of us also must author the longest paper we have ever had to write for a Senior Year Experience project. Please cancel the exams, especially if you already gave us a project.”
For some, the time they must now allocate to exam preparation has cut into their sleep. According to Cornell University the recommended amount of sleep for college students is 7-9 hours a night, which many students already struggle to attain in less busy parts of the year. Suleyka Alonzo ’26 has been one of those students this semester. “In the last two days I have slept a total of three hours,” she uttered. Considering that she only managed to sleep an hour and a half each night, she is well below the recommended amount. Her lack of sleep has been coupled with an excess of work. “I’ve written a 1,500-word essay, started two more of the same length, directed, filmed and still have to edit a 12-minute play, and I have a sociology test to study for” she added. “I’m this close to collapsing in the middle of campus.”
Emily Hereth ’23 is starting to feel the crunch of impending deadlines: “4 of the 5.25 courses I am enrolled in have final exams/papers/projects all due next Tuesday. I was looking to utilize this week to work on those assignments and not worry about exams due the WEEK BEFORE FINALS!” she wrote. “I’m pretty sure that’s not even allowed.”
Hereth cited that according to the 2022-23 edition of the SLU student handbook section on examinations “it is University policy that final exams, hour exams, or their equivalent are not scheduled during the last week of classes or during study recess.” Hereth pointed out that the amount of time allocated for her German exam, which is an hour, would in her eyes be a violation of the handbook.
Maia Wahlquist ’25 believes that the struggle of pre-finals week exams is living up to the hype. “We as students are all struggling with final exams, essays, and presentations, and this increases feelings of stress and anxiety. The workload is too intense. But I am still chugging along, albeit with more anxiety” Wahlquist announced. However, in true girl-boss fashion, she enthusiastically added “I guess you could say I’m not struggling with anxiety, anxiety is struggling with me.”
Students are increasingly self-reporting that they feel overwhelmed by exams during the final week of classes. Students feel that it is their prerogative to stand up for themselves in this tumultuous time. Many concur with the words of Hereth, “Just cancel the exams.”