Final exams take a toll on everyone. From long nights in the library studying to running to the store to buy an energy drink, people have many different ways of coping during the final week of a semester. Our faces show how the stress of college takes a toll on our bodies physically.

Trevor Burket, junior, communication studies:

Aaron Fooks: What are your feelings going into finals week?

Trevor Burket: My feeling going into finals week … I’ll let these bags under my eyes do all the talking.

A.F.: What do you usually feel when you finish?

T.B.: When I finish finals, all I want is Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food ice cream and to curl up on a couch with my dog and watch reruns of Full House ‘til Christmas. So I guess I feel pretty stoked when finals are over. Christmas, duh.
A.F.: What is one thing you would change during finals?

T.B.: To let “dead week” actually be a dead week, not have classes the week before finals, like other schools do it.

Holton Whitman, freshman, cinema media arts:

Aaron Fooks: What do you feel during a final?

Holton Whitman: Given that most of my finals are projects and things I enjoyed doing, I am very excited to get started, but the anticipation of getting everything done in a short period of time is stressful.

A.F.: What is the most stressful part?

H.W.: I would say the most stressful part is studying and all the preparation that goes into getting ready for the final.

A.F.: What is one thing you would change during finals?

H.W.: We definitely should be given snacks during finals!

Adina Baciu, freshman, communication studies:

Aaron Fooks: How do you feel when you are preparing for a final?

Adina Baciu: When I am preparing for a final I like to start reading all my notes in advance, so when the date of the final approaches I won’t be too overwhelmed. Despite that, the day and night before the final are the most stressful and I usually can’t get enough sleep.

A.F.: What emotions do you have during finals week?

A.B.: Around finals week I am very tired because of the late nights and the agglomerated schedule. I think the most difficult period of time is at least one week before finals start, so by that time I already feel pretty exhausted.

A.F.: What is one thing you would change during finals?

A.B.: I would change the way too early finals and schedule them later in the day.

Catherine Dinius, junior, communication studies:

Aaron Fooks: What runs through your mind during a final?

Catherine Dinius: Time. I get nervous that I won’t finish before the final ends. Also, how many more questions I have left to answer.

A.F.: What do you feel right before going into a final?

C.D.: Nervous. I always think I could have studied more.

A.F.: What is one thing you would change during finals?

C.D.: Everything. Just kidding, I would make it earlier in the semester so it wasn’t so close to Christmas.