With Thanksgiving passed and winter break just weeks away, Villanova students are in the home stretch of the semester. Yet, before students can enjoy the festivities and excitement of the holiday season, they must first get through one of the most dreaded weeks of the year: finals. This year, the final day of classes falls on Monday, Dec. 12, followed by Reading Day on Tuesday, giving students a day to rest, study and prepare for the week ahead. Final exams will take place starting Wednesday, Dec. 14 and will go until Tuesday, Dec. 20. Although finals do not begin for another week, many students have already felt the stress piling up as they rush to begin studying, on top of the work they need to complete to finish their classes.

Sophomore Economics major Julie Soutter shared her experiences.

“I’ve been a little overwhelmed in terms of finals because I’ve had so much to do,” she said. “Even though finals week has not officially started, a lot of my classes have big exams the week before finals instead. This past week, I had to go to office hours before a test, and I was there until 1:30 a.m.”

“The workload is definitely increasing,” Political Science major Dean Millard said. “It’s difficult because there is so much work to do for each class.” 

To deal with the stress and manage the intense workload, Villanova students shared their tips.

 “Engineering finals week can be difficult, especially with all of the extra pressure from end of the year projects and having to balance applying to internships as well,” junior Computer Engineering major Sola Dugbo said. “To deal with the pressure, I make sure to take breaks and try to spread out my workload as much as possible, but that’s hard to do with tight deadlines.”

“I definitely work on taking time for myself and balancing my time well,” Millard added. “I work ahead when I can but without overwhelming myself. I feel like when I space the work out I’m the most effective. Finals are no joke, but I try to remain optimistic and work diligently for the best results” 

“When I start feeling really overwhelmed, I go for a walk and turn off my phone,” sophomore History major Kiely Fleming said.

Additionally, the University’s Office of Health Promotion, as well as, the Campus Activities Team (CAT) have been making an effort to help students deal with the stress of finals. On Dec. 8, from 12-2 p.m., the Connolly Center will be hosting a “Thriving Through Finals” workshop. The Health Services Building is also continuing to sponsor pet therapy with Pals For Life, which is a favorite activity among students. On Dec. 7, from 12-1 p.m., pet therapy will take place in Vasey 102. On Dec. 13 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Falvey Library will be hosting Pals For Life in addition to crafts and games to give students a break from their studies.

CAT is hosting various holiday events as well to take students’ minds off finals and get them in the holiday spirit. On Dec. 5 from 7-9 p.m. at the Commons Holy Grounds, there was gingerbread decorating. CAT also took students to the Philadelphia Zoo Christmas lights display, Hershey Park and New York to get off campus and away from the stress.

While finals are important, it is also critical that students take care of their mental health during these last few weeks before break. By finding time to do things one enjoys, taking proper breaks and practicing self-care, the weight of finals week can be managed. If one is feeling overwhelmed these last few weeks and need additional support, the Health Services Building is a great resource and can be reached at  610-519-4050 or by visiting its website https://www1.villanova.edu/university/student-life/health-services/counseling-center.html/.