Center Offers Aid to Students Dealing With End of the Semester Stress

Students of all ages and majors gathered one afternoon this week in Femoyer Hall to hear some advice on managing their time and their stress during the last few weeks of the semester.

“Making It Through The Final Stretch” is the last seminar in a long series on academic success put on by the Center for Academic Enrichment and Excellence at Virginia Tech. Throughout the semester the center has had seminars on time management, test taking, note taking and avoiding procrastination.

“I have a really bad habit of overstressing,” said Lauren Williams, a sophomore biology major. She has attended all the seminars and said she learned a lot about time management and how to prepare ahead, which has helped her manage stress.

Jasmine Graham, a graduate assistant pursuing a doctorate in counselor education, presented in a Femoyer Hall classroom on the basic steps students should take to make it through the next few weeks “safely and sanely.”

Graham began by passing out a calendar that showed the remaining weeks of the semester on one piece of paper. “Sometimes when we have it in our planner we trick ourselves into thinking we have more time in the semester than we really have,” said Graham.

She also pointed out two important academic deadlines. The last day to change final exam times for students who have three or more exams within 24 hours is Nov. 20. The last day to apply for course withdrawal is Dec. 4.

Graham said students should think about their goals, and where they stand gradewise in each class before developing a plan of action. Gathering study materials now, not during exam week, can help students use their time more efficiently later.

Graham said she suggests students study in small increments rather than long stretches, which she said “don’t yield good results typically.” She said two to three hour stretches with a break every 30 minutes typically works best.

“Research has shown that after about 20 minutes or so our brains really aren’t engaging in what we are doing anyway,” said Graham.

The center encourages students to determine what is best for them when it comes to studying style.

“I don’t really do well with study partners because I end up talking and not actually studying,” said Williams. So she finds other ways to study that work for her.

The center offers exam preparation sheets for students to outline what they need to do to study for each final exam.

Graham said she could not stress enough the importance of talking with professors. Whether students need help understanding a particular topic or just want tips for studying for the final, professors are a great resource to turn to.

In the conclusion of the seminar, Graham said eating well and getting enough rest are also key to success during stressful times.

After the seminar Graham further explained to Planet Blacksburg the importance of time management. “Time management is basically the basis of being a successful student because everything kind of flows out of how we manage our time, and whether or not we have fallen into procrastination,” she said.

Graham said students should also keep in mind that “they obviously have the smarts and the intellect to do it because they got into college. They got into Virginia Tech.” Many resources are available to students, such as the center, Cook Counseling Center and academic advisors.