Written by: Kyleigh Kozel (kk003@marietta.edu)
December has made it to Marietta, Ohio, and finally brought the chill that a lot of residents have been eagerly waiting for. After months of fluctuating temperatures and an unusually warm fall, the colder weather feels like a long-awaited return to seasonal norms. The crisp air and frosty mornings serve as a reminder that winter weather is officially here, setting the stage for holiday festivities. But for Marietta College students, the shift in temperature coincides with the most stressful time of the semester: finals week.
Early sunsets and cold mornings can make it harder to get motivated for the final stretch of the semester. It is easy to want to stay in bed, all cozy under blankets. The freezing weather adds to the stress of an already busy time, with students trying to finish final projects, study for exams, and get ready for the holidays.
The pressure of deadlines feel even more stressful as students spend long hours studying or working, often losing sleep to get everything done. The cold weather may encourage students to stay indoors, but it also reminds them that the end of the semester is near, and with it, the start of a well-deserved break. After finals week, time with family, and the holidays will bring much-needed relief.
Finals week is not all stress and tests, however. After weeks of preparation, students get to demonstrate their knowledge and hard work from the past 15 weeks. There is a sense of accomplishment when an exam is completed, or a final paper or project is turned in. The long days and sleepless nights of studying will soon be rewarded with the freedom of winter break and the chance to recharge before the next semester begins.
Marietta College has the tradition of finals breakfast, that is a late-night tradition of faculty servicing breakfast foods in the late hours to students, in a last hoorah before finals week officially kicks off. It is a great way to fuel for the long week ahead, and to make memories to look back on after your college days are over. Furthermore, the Pioneer Activity Council (PAC) have rewarded students by giving out hot cocoa, milk, and cookies over the past week. So while the colder weather brings finals, the Pioneers bring the heat!
Edited by: Zachary Worstell (zdw001@marietta.edu)
