For college students all around the country, final exam season rolls around during one of the inconvenient times of the year—the holiday season.
Every year since I began my studies at Seton Hall, I’ve hated how final exams crash into the holiday season. Since my freshman year in 2022, I have quite literally dreaded final exams and the few days that lead up to Christmas afterwards.
Obviously, I realize that final exams must run into mid-December—this year with dates from Dec. 10 to 16—as our fall semesters typically start late August, and college semesters typically range from 15 to 16 weeks.
What I’m saying is, it makes sense why we take finals then, but I can’t help but feel disappointed every year when exams roll around.
I feel like I can’t fully express or feel holiday cheer, since studying for exams consumes most of my time. I tell myself that I need to “lock in” before I can enjoy Christmas—a holiday near and dear to my family. I also have a birthday around this time.
By the time exams are over, there is about a week left until Christmas, which is too short of a time to get in the holiday cheer. It all feels rushed and crammed. When I finally go home for the holidays, I feel like I have to rush watching holiday movies, wrapping presents, admiring the Christmas tree, drinking hot chocolate, wearing Christmas sweaters, and overall, enjoying the season.
The week flies by and by the time Christmas is here, I feel sad cause there definitely wasn’t enough time to do all the holiday-themed things I wanted to do, simply because I was studying for exams the week prior and wrapping up my classes most of December.
Final exams, on top of the holiday season, cause stress, allowing students to feel like they can’t enjoy the holiday. Final exams, in general, are a source of stress for college students, causing sleepless nights and excessive worrying about grades. They impact “physical, emotional, and psychological” health.
As you can imagine, it’s especially hard to take a final exam during the holiday season, when so many students are worried about traveling home, getting their assignments in on time, and finishing the semester off strong. It’s also hard to focus because your friends from high school are coming home, you’ve been invited to some holiday parties, and you just want to celebrate the holidays without a worry.
To make the holiday season a bit easier on students, professors could be doing more. To help students traveling, deadlines on assignments can be flexible, if needed. Exams can be moved to online or alternate testing times can be offered. Professors could also grant extensions, if students really need them, especially if they are feeling overwhelmed.
To help with preparing for finals, professors can make study guides so students know what to study. This can help alleviate stress for students, narrowing down what topics they should be studying. They can also send out encouraging reminders, meant to help students manage their time well while also understanding students’ time constraints.
Aside from taking measures to assist students in their assignments and exams, professors can encourage students to take breaks— letting students know it's okay to miss class for mental health reasons. They can also be someone students can confide in about their stress.
To help students get in the holiday spirit, professors can implement fun, in-class activities to help students feel like they can get assignments or classwork done while also getting in the holiday spirit. They can also set aside time, in class, to talk about holiday-related topics with students, to help students talk their stress out, and overall feel better about the holidays.
While it may be hard to get the holiday cheer on during a stressful time, SHU tries to raise students' spirits during December. SHU is one of the best colleges for Christmas celebrations in the country.
This year’s Christmas tree lighting will be held on Dec. 2. The Student Activities Board (SAB) is hosting a holiday karaoke event on Dec. 3, and Campus Ministry is throwing a Christmas extravaganza on Dec. 4. Students can also participate in DOVE’s toy drive, donating toys or helping wrap gifts for children in need. Many clubs on campus also host Christmas events, so if you’re a part of a club, keep an eye out for a holiday event. These events will help you get in the holiday spirit, as you prepare for your final exams.
While students may feel that the end of the semester gets in the way of their happiness, they should realize it won’t feel like this forever. College and exams may feel stressful now, but one day it’ll be worth it. One day, the holidays can be celebrated without exam stress.
My advice to students is to take the holiday season one chunk at a time. Plan out your final exam schedule and your final assignments. When you manage your time, you will have time for holiday movies, wrapping presents, and enjoying time with friends. You won’t feel like you can’t enjoy the season and that’s a lesson I’ve learned over the years.
Although it may seem hard, it is possible to try to keep yourself in good spirits during the holiday season.
Dominique Mercadante is the Editor-in-Chief of The Setonian. She can be reached at dominique.mercadante@student.shu.edu.
