Daniel Hollis. Mental Health During Finals

How and When do Students Feel Stressed?

As the end of the semester ends, there is one thing that students have on their minds before they begin to finish the year strong. That one thing that begins to be the main focus for every student right before they start their summer vacation or graduating from college. That one thing is finals. Finals can be a stressful time for almost every student, whether it be study for a test or work on final projects for class. Either way finals can be very stressful on the minds of students.

According to the Physiological Degree Guide,¹ “Stress is a type of physiological response that is perceived as a threat,” (par. 2). Stress is the number one cause for not only college students but also for any students that are in High School or Elementary school. Just the thought of having to study a lot of material that was covered throughout the semester can really make you stressed.

According to the Honor Society Website², the author states, “The constant juggling of making time to study, managing time, and revising some work can cause some anxiety levels to increase,” (2023). Sometimes during finals, most professors will provide more work for students to do to better help their grades and help them be more prepared for finals. Dr. Pauline Prince, Clinical Psychologist at Mississippi State University Veterinary School, stated that what got her into Psychology was when she was in High School, she saw a number of her classmates struggle in school whether it would be tests or homework assignments. She wanted to know more on why students tend to feel stressed out when it comes to finals or any assignment.

“If I can figure out why learning was hard for you, maybe I can also come up with strategies about how to make it easier,” Dr. Prince stated. Dr. Prince has been in the Psychology field for about 40 years of her life and has been helping veterinary students at Mississippi State University who need help dealing with their anxiety levels either a class or a test they need help with. She states being a vet student here at Mississippi can be very stressful compared to being an Undergrad student. “It’s a very demanding curriculum.” Dr. Prince stated, “There is a sense of competitiveness which they are very competitive individuals who hate if they are not doing so well in class compared to undergrad.” She also states that if a student fails not only a test but a class, then they would be kicked out of the program and not to return. That is what most Vet students are most stressed about.

Dr. Prince states that why finals are so stressful for not only veterinary students but for all students here at Mississippi State University is because we are simply tired. “It's the end of the semester and we’ve put in a lot of time and energy in a wide variety of courses, and they are all coming to a close at the same time,” Dr. Prince stated. She recommends that the best way to keep our minds active is to study for a test to make sure to get a good walk in when taking breaks. “Just taking 20-30 minutes of walking can help improve your neurotransmitter in order to help you function better as students and be more focused,” she stated. Dr. Emily Stafford, a clinical psychologist at Mississippi State, discussed some techniques on how to manage stress levels during finals. One of the techniques that she recommends that students do is called chunking. “Chunking is when you separate all the materials into little chunks to where it is not so overwhelming,” Dr. Stafford stated. This technique can help students better prepare and understand the material that you are studying. No matter what it is always best to seek advice from professionals who want to help you become better students.

Students Tips on Stress During Finals

As a student myself, I tend to stress when it comes to finals. Sometimes I would try to stay up late and study real hard for a test but my stress levels will not decrease. I went around Mississippi State University and talked to some students to get their tips on how they manage to handle their stress levels during Finals week.

Some of the students I talked to told me that since finals are around the corner, they are starting to get nervous about taking them and others told me that they are feeling ok about them. Dulla, a grad student, stated, “The stressful thing about finals would be the studying, you know, having to take the time to sit down and look over the notes and the materials for the finals can be very stressful.”

Noah Purchase, a freshman, stated that he is more afraid of when studying for the final, that he is going to miss something important that he forgot to study like a chapter from the book or some key facts he forgot. Sometimes studying can be overwhelming for most college students because they tend to stay up way late to make sure they have all the materials they must prepare and this can really mess up their sleep schedules.

The best way to stay prepared for finals is making sure you start studying early so you can better prepare for the final. Also, it is always best to study with a group of friends that are in your class so you and your friends can all help each other out. Even though Finals are the most stressful time of the year, it is always best to not procrastinate and seek help if needed to better succeed as a student.

Email me at dth269@msstate.edu with any questions

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