After walking through the Memphis Zoo for a couple hours, it was finally time for Rachel Pentz, a junior nursing major at the University of Memphis, to see her favorite animals - the bonobo monkeys. But Pentz wasn't just killing an afternoon. She was actually getting ready for finals.
Studying for an exam can make any student anxious, but those worries can intensify during finals week.
"(I get) really stressed out," Pentz said. "In nursing, at least, any final exam grade below 75 has to be retaken. Then, if you fail the second chance you get an 18-month suspension from that class."
Some students may see their final exams as the last barrier between them and a much-needed break.
"The thought of finals never fazed me too much," Judas Cross, a former U of M student, said. "I studied until I was confident with myself. I always tried to get an early start, so there wouldn't be as much pressure leading up to the tests."
Before finals week begins, many students have a specific ritual they like to perform. To Katie Harrington, a junior English major, organization is key to her success. She writes down all her assignments with the due dates on one sheet of paper to help her keep track.
Even though she makes it a point to be mentally prepared, she also knows it's important to take care of herself physically.
"It doesn't do you much good to know the answers to the test if you can't make it out of the house to go take it or fall asleep during it," Harrington said.
Harrington said finals can be an especially stressful time for students because they have, for the most part, all of their most important tests of the semester within a two-week span. Students often have a tendency to cram.
"Studying and cramming are two different things," Cross said. "If you want finals to be a relative breeze - study, take your time and go at your own pace. Don't overwhelm yourself."
