As finals week rolls around, seniors push through their final stretch and other grades cope with the stress that these big exams and projects bring. Counselors Lindsay Metcalfe and Andrea Moore understand what the students are feeling during this busy period.

“When you are overwhelmed, it is easy to feel like that feeling is going to last forever, but it is important to keep things in the proper perspective,” Metcalfe said. “Most classes are set up where finals can’t actually have that huge of an impact on your grade, so keep your reaction in proportion.”

Stress heavily impacts your day-to-day life, and it is vital to ensure that you still prioritize your health during these times. 

“Focus on wellness behaviors like sleep, exercise, and making sure you are getting regular healthy food,” Moore said. “Build in time and structure to study.” 

With the weather warming up and spring turning into summer, it is easy to use distractions to fill your time and lose the incentive to work.

“Don’t wait for motivation because it might not come,” Moore said. “Start with a small check on the checklist and feel the accomplishment because then you will get some momentum.”

If the stress gets too much to handle, there are many resources available at your fingertips; talk to a loved one, a teacher, a friend, the counselors, or any person you feel comfortable with. 

“There is less flexibility with finals week than there is in other points of the semester, but I think teachers are still wanting to know what the students experience,” Metcalfe said. “If people are stuck, there are ways that we can work with them and get them through the week.”

As seniors approach Launchpad, it is vital to use this intensive as an opportunity to focus on something you are interested in and prepare for college. 

“Next year, you are going to be managing yourself much more independently, and you could look at these next few weeks as practice for that. How do I structure my day when I don’t have specific times when I need to be in class or teachers telling me what to do,” Metcalfe said. “It is balancing some of that practice with the need for rest and relaxation.”