Stressing Over Finals?

By” Alicia Smith

The end of any semester can be filled with stressful endeavors, full calendars, and anxiety. Namely, the dreaded finals. For some students, they may sit down and take a formal exam– multiple choice, scantrons, short responses– other students may take digital exams on Brightspace, then there are some that have to do a final presentation or final paper. The word “final” means “the end”, for students that means an end to their class and the semester. The big question is: how do you handle the stress that comes with finals?

An excellent place to turn to about any type of mental health (stress, depression, anxiety, or other concerns) is the Wellness Center! The Wellness Center has counseling services which many other students also make use of around the end of the semester. Hannah Barner, a mental health counselor, states “Counseling is free, confidential, and open to all students. No concern is too big or small to talk about with a counselor.”

Some concerns students have with finals may include: time management, feeling pressured and overwhelmed, or the thought that failing the finals makes one a failure. Counselors at the counseling center help students with coping skills and assist them in looking for therapists or mental health specialists if needed.

Students should keep a few things in mind while gearing up for whatever finals await.

• Your grades for one semester do not define your worth.
• Use support like family and friends to talk about how you are feeling.
• Take time to take care of yourself.
• Like a season, stress will not last forever.
• Mindfulness does wonders.
• Practice self-kindness and self-empathy.
• Limit screen time. (I know it is hard to do considering a lot of materials are put on Brightspace, but do your best.)

Barner also states, “It is cheesy but managing your stress, even during finals, is about balance.”

If you ever need counseling, for any reason, you can contact the Wellness Center by phone (716.614.6275) or email (wellnesscenter@niagaracc.suny.edu), or just walk-in (room C-122).

Students also have the option to go to the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) where a tutor can assist in preparing for finals. Or, students can make use of STAR-NY FreeOnline Tutoring Services, if traditional tutoring does not fit in their schedule. Many students make use of SUNY Niagara’s tutoring services, however even more students are welcome to join in on the tutoring services. It is suggested that students start studying early for their exams and ask for help as soon as they need it.

STAR-NY Tutoring can be accessed at http://www.starny.org/tutoring, tutoring through STAR-NY is available Sunday through Thursday from 7pm to midnight for most courses. You can find more information on STAR-NY by visiting ACE on the second floor, in the Henrietta G. Lewis Library. Tutors both in ACE and with STAR-NY cover a variety of subjects.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with a tutor in ACE, you can visit the following: https://www.niagaracc.suny.edu/ace/