Journals

The Last Challenge

December 18, 2012   

Final examinations have finally come to campus.  KJ is packed full of frantic studiers reading their books late into the night; every desk in the library is occupied, filled with papers, laptops and a palpable sense of urgency.  As I’ve stated in multiple past entries, the specter of finals has loomed over the Hamilton student body for quite some time; now the pent-up energy of the past few weeks is brought to bear.

I am not too worried, however; I have never been one to jump on the bandwagon and simply submit to frantic pressure.  My approach to this week is very slow and deliberate.  I study for a long while, take a break, and then I pick up where I left off.  The goal of my week is to simply remain as relaxed as possible. 

Overall, finals week is not too staggering a commitment.  Through these next four days, I have just 3 commitments, 3 exams, which total 9 hours of work at most.  As a Hamilton student, I am regularly faced with 9 hours of work in a single day.  I can do this.

Even better, the rest of my time is totally free—my room has the vibe of a weekend.  I do some work, watch a few movies, run whatever distance I please and sleep a little later.  My roommate does the same.

But do not misunderstand—I have been studying quite a lot.  I exhausted all practice problems for economics; I have redone every old calculus quiz and test; I practically reread my psychology textbook.  Finals require hard work and tremendous effort, regardless of my confidence in a subject.  But they are completely manageable; not something to be feared, but to be conquered.

Plus, come Friday morning, I am on break.