Having just escaped freshman year myself and feeling settled into the way things go at Illinois Tech during exam season, I am aware it can be incredibly daunting (or flat-out confusing) to get a grip on finals. Trust me, it is only tough the first time; it is easy enough to get a handle on it as you get more adjusted to life on campus and semesterly routines. For any first-year or transfer students out there wondering about the details of finals week at Illinois Tech and wanting to brush up on best practices, I thought I would make a quick refresher.
Check when your finals are
Illinois Tech already published the final exam schedule a while back! It can be found on the Office of the Registrar’s website as a downloadable PDF. Finals week is December 8th through 13th (yes, some of you unfortunate souls might have Saturday finals), and then most of us are free! For a few weeks, at least. During finals week, there are no regularly scheduled classes. Instead, your final exam blocks will be scheduled throughout the week, with time in between to study and rest. Look for your class subject, course, and section on the left. The information on when and where your final exam is will be on the right. However, it’s important to note what kind of final you have – some professors will not ask you to come in if you’re just turning in a digital project or the like. If in doubt, always ask your professor.
Get ready for break
It is fair to say that most students head home for winter break. This year, the spring semester begins on January 12th (no cushy 5-week break like last year, I know), and you won’t be in your room until then. For those dorming: unplug everything, take home things that will die – plants, fish, the works – and clean out fridges. Start packing as soon as you can, too – don’t miss your flight home! Trust me when I say it’ll take longer than you think. Additionally, listen to the instructions your RA will give you – if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask them what they think. They’re there to help. For those staying on campus, remember to coordinate appropriately and that meal plans aren’t active until the spring semester starts.
Start preparing early
Do not get me wrong, I love cramming just as much as the next person. Seriously, it helps me do better on tests. But for a looming final exam or project, it’s often best to start going to office hours, going through your notes, and, archies, test printingearlier than you might think you need to. Start your projects sooner rather than later. It’s always nice to procrastinate – until you have a couple of hours to do a two-week paper. If you’re an architecture student, I know it sounds undoable, but try and space out your drawing and model making. Doing everything in one or two nights is a nightmare.
Rest, rest, rest
As an archie, I can attest to the fact that students do worse when they’re sleep deprived. This is a lot of students’ first real test of their time management skills: as long as you’re ready, please get a full night’s sleep before your exam, presentation, or critique! Like I said earlier, preparing early enough and getting a head start, if you can at all, goes hand-in-hand with getting regular, restful sleep during exam week, and being well-rested goes hand-in-hand with doing better under stress and helping your memory. Similarly, get out and get fresh air (even if it’s cold). A lot of students end up with free time between studying, bed rotting, and scheduled exam blocks, so take it as a chance to reward yourself for your hard work and explore the city!