The end is near.
Thanksgiving is in a week, Christmas in less than a month. Papers, tests, and projects are mounting. Stress is escalating. This is the most important and stressful time of the year.
How will you survive? We here at the Waltonian have come up with some ideas, based on our experience.
1. Actually go to class. This is, after all, where you get the information you’ll need to pass your finals. You may be tired of school, but attending class is key.
2. Actually do your reading. Get your money’s worth from that $80 dollar textbook, since it may help you with finals.
3. Invest in a coffee maker or plan to visit Jammin’ Java or Starbucks often. Although coffee is always important to college students, at this point it is one of the five basic food groups.
4. Bring a pillow and sleeping bag to the library and plan to spend a lot of time there. With numerous research papers and projects due, you should cultivate a relationship with the library.
5. Form small study groups. If you actually study instead of visiting, this is a positive way to learn course material and a sure-fire way to improve test scores.
6. Balance sleep with work. With so much going on, don’t plan on sleeping too much. On the other hand, get enough so that you can fully function during finals.
7. Call your parents and convince them to buy you one of those finals survival kits from SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise). Not only do you get a nice bag, but you get candy, ramen and everything else you’ll need to pull an all-nighter. And getting food from your family makes you feel good.
8. Don’t work all the time. You may have a ton of work to do, and there may not be enough time to do it, but you still need to relax. Taking a half-hour break to talk to a friend, or even a two-hour break to watch a movie will help you clear your head, reduce your stress, and help you focus more.
9. Play lots of Christmas music. The one motivation for getting through this part of the semester is that Christmas lies ahead. Don’t be afraid to remind yourself.
10. The final stretch can be intimidating, but if done correctly, it can move along smoothly. Just remember that there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Christmas and a month long break is right around the corner. Keep your eyes on the prize and finish strong.
Inquiring Minds is the collective opinion of the editorial staff and not necessarily representative of the entire staff. It is written by the managing editor and the editor-in-chief.
Mikaela Brown 
Sophia Hunter 
Jayme Fisher