May 12 will mark the end of the spring 2021 semester. Despite the relief students may feel as summer approaches, how confident do students feel about finals? For many college students, final exams are a continuous cycle that is dreaded and often disliked, especially in a pandemic.

This upcoming semester could also have less COVID-19 restrictions, such as more in-person classes, since the beginning of the pandemic. For some remote students, the workload is consistent, but their motivation levels are decreasing.

Junior communication major Jenelle Johnson has remained remote for the duration of the Spring semester. She said, “Remote learning hasn’t negatively impacted my grades, but it did affect my motivation. Being away from my friends and campus life caused me to feel like school was no longer worth it. Remote learning began to feel mundane, and I became discouraged because this wasn’t how I envisioned my junior year.”

Similar to Johnson, student life as a commuter has its downsides according to senior economics major Hannah Providence. She has also faced both struggles of preparing for finals and remote learning. Although most of her classes are online, she continues to stay engaged by emailing professors, using campus services and staying organized. But the question arises, how has university faculty helped to prepare students for finals?

“The main thing I look for with faculty is their ability to communicate,” said Providence. “The professors who are responsive, quick to answer my questions, quick to grade and provide meaningful feedback on my work, and easily accessible, are the professors who are preparing me to perform well in their course.”

Even with the faculty’s willingness to help students succeed, there are still exhausting effects that finals have on students. This semester has been a trying time for many students, especially first-year students, ultimately having their first year in college completely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Freshman general business management major Kayá Francis feels a great amount of pressure when thinking about taking finals.

“When thinking about finals, I do tend to get nervous before, during, and after the test because I want to make sure I do my very best,” said Francis. “I know that I’ve studied and asked all the questions I could, but sometimes you can blank out during test[s], or you could be having a bad day.”

Francis also said, “studying, as all college students know, can be unapologetically draining.”

As the weeks progress, students’ best hope is to study, stay organized and reach out for help when needed.

There are multiple resources for students on campus. This includes the Center for Learning Resources for homework and counseling services and the Center for Student Success. All these resources can help increase their success in preparing and taking finals.