By Meredith Haas ’24, editor-in-chief
For first-year students, seniors and all years in between, finals week brings a sense of panic, yet the panic doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
LVC’s Center for Academic Success and Exploratory Majors (CASEM) provides nearly any and all academic support related services to students throughout the duration of the school year – that doesn’t end when finals week begins.
“We are always here for academic coaching,” Sarah Bartz, director of academic success, said. “If you need a pep talk, if you need to talk through academic strategies or just to de-stress, the academic coaches are here.”
The academic coaches housed in CASEM are just a few of LVC’s several support systems. For students who need accommodations for test-taking, the Center for Accessibility Resources (CAR) is there to help make arrangements.
One of the most important actions that both Sarah Bartz and Beth Julian, assistant dean for student success and retention, emphasized was to plan ahead and be organized. While that may sound easier said than done, there are a few tasks students can do to get a jumpstart on finals week preparation.
“Identify what you want your study space to look like,” Bartz said. “Where are you most productive? It’s also good to map out your study sessions with a goal in mind. That could be writing out a schedule for the week before and the week of finals.”
“Figure out your sleep schedule early on,” Julian said. “It doesn’t serve you well to be burnt out. You have to prioritize even if it means sacrificing time for friends and fun.”
Professors, tutors and writing desk hours are great resources to use during finals week. During finals week, there will be increased writing center hours, and it is also recommended that students either attend office hours or reach out directly to their professors and tutors. The consensus – it never hurts to seek help.
There are also tips for students who worry about methods for studying.
Bartz and Julian recommend brain breaks and studying in increments to avoid cramming or overwhelming oneself with information. Studying material in parts is one of the best ways to absorb it.
CASEM shared the idea of a “test autopsy,” where students utilize past exams and quizzes to understand where one is with the material and how one can improve. This is also a great way to build a study guide.
Similarly, if writing a paper, set milestones for researching, outlining, drafting and writing.
CASEM’s Study Smart Resource Closet will be open to students during regular business hours throughout finals. Here, students can find any study tool they may need from highlighters to notebooks and index cards.
As students navigate finals week – whether it’s the first or last – preparing early and acknowledging areas of strength and weakness are both steps in the right direction for experiencing finals week success.
Students looking for additional resources regarding academic support can reach out to CASEM at findyoursuccess@lvc.edu.