ISU Bengal

Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: Life

The end is near. We have dead week then finals, then a long glorious summer vacation in which most of us will be working so that we can come back next year.

Over the last few weeks I have been doing extensive research about the experiences of the different levels of students. What I have found is that we are all stressed out, but the most stressed on the campus are the seniors. They have their senior thesis and respective projects, not to forget finals, to complete. They are also worrying about class rings, graduation invitations and wondering if it would be wrong to wear nothing underneath their graduation gowns. By the way, it would be wrong. Your parents will be coming to the ceremony and they deserve this moment to be proud of you.

The juniors are getting tired of the school experience. They are looking over their schedules and wondering if they can really complete their education in one more year.

They are wondering how much time they will have for parties if they take 18 credits. In evaluating their options for the following year, they begin to wonder about future internships and if they will still be able to spend spring break in Mexico.

The sophomores are at an interesting spot of their college career. Hypothetically, they are half way through school. Many of these students are looking at their future and wondering if continuing their education is worth it. They are asking themselves if they should just get a job and bag the joy of finals and mid-terms. I find that the sophmore year is also a time when many students plan to marry their college sweetheart and this makes the sophomore year even more stressful. Who can concentrate on grades when there are wedding invitations to send and bridesmaids' dresses to pick out?

The freshmen have almost completed their first year of college. Most of them have had bittersweet experiences. They have decided that it is cool to be in college and have the ability to chew gum in class and bring lattes. They have discovered that they can come to class, or not, and no one will call their parents. It is a time of responsibility and freedom. Learning to juggle the two can be the biggest lesson that a college freshman learns.

Across the campus, students are fearing their finals, anticipating their summer breaks, and preparing for their futures. I have read reams of advice on how to handle these last few difficult weeks. From my extensive research I have found that getting enough sleep and the proper amount of nutrition are two bits of advice that everyone wants to share. And I agree, sleep and food are very important.

As far as I am concerned, the most important thing a student should know during these last few weeks is that, during finals week, it is perfectly acceptable to show up to class wearing pajama pants.

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