Make It or Break It: Finals

EAST PEORIA — Gone is the cool factor that came with mid semester, as students pushed through their weekly routine with all the usual procrastinating calmness. With final exams beginning on Monday, Dec. 10, study rooms are fuller than ever and there are eraser shavings on every desk.

Not-so-trending topics such as chemistry tests and western civilization projects suddenly begin to dominate lunchtime conversations. And the computer situation in the library lately? Impossible.

The seriousness that comes with end of semester is not completely unexpected. ICC student Nick Cochran, 21, of Peoria, says students have and always will have a major problem with procrastination. He says, “Students are trying to balance social life with school work and we’re poor at it for the most part.”

As time stands, there is not any room for would ofs, should ofs, could ofs. Students want to know how they can improve their chances of getting a better grade on their finals.

Here is real life advice coming from members of the ICC community who know what it takes to be successful during finals:

Tom Whitworth, Coordinator for Supplemental Instruction says, “Study early, study often. Food. Eat. Drink a lot of water. Oh, and coffee. I lived off coffee in college.”

“There is scientific proof that if you are positive you will do better if you stay positive,” says Margaret Tordoff, Learning Lab Tutor.

First year student in the Interpreter Program, Adam Reisch, says, “Don’t stress, because stress only makes it harder, even though it’s the make it or break it point in your semester.”

“My tip would be to not let the stress of your peers rub off on you… It is possible to work hard and go into finals prepared and to let all of the stress of other students fall to the side,” says Sue Sanders, coordinator for the Interpreter Program.

For students who are looking for even further support during finals week, ICC is hosting a De-Stress week that will help students to lighten up during finals.