SCAD’s declassified school survival guide: finals edition

Written by Riley Kane, Photos by Abby Gregory

Finals stir up the worst kind of scenarios imaginable to a college student. You may conjure up a clock that doesn’t seem to move or a typist that can’t seem to type.

Regardless, the universal language for all majors is feeling deprived of sanity and sleep. Before you start that coffee pot, there are other ways around this. Here are some alternate, reliable and effective tips for fatigue, finessing and saying farewell to finals.

1. Temporarily delete/disable social media

When it comes to culprits, social media is not very slick. It preys on our most immediate entertainment deficits and supplies very little in return.

“What’s Suzie doing?” Not important.

At the very least, phone apps that impose limits on social media use are generally helpful. If you’re feeling bold, you can delete the app altogether.

2. Observe houses around your neighborhood

We all know Zoom fatigue is a real threat. We don’t all know how to stop and smell the roses, but this little exercise can inspire a spark of motivation.

On your walk, pick a house and pay attention to the things that really pop out at you. Something interesting on the porch? What color is it? What material did they use? If nothing narratively engages you, it still requires a level of focus that livens up a normal walk.

3. Listen to an album

Is there something you’ve always been dying to listen to? Now’s your chance.

Bee Well suggests the Pomodoro Technique: you bang out 45 minutes of good, solid work followed by a 5 – 10 minute break.

Even if you digest the album in chunks, it can be very helpful to pay attention to the lyricism and instrumentation. David Bowie was famous for using the Cut-Up Technique: taking phrases from one thing and repurposing for another. This can prove valuable to the creative thinking process.

4. Use SCAD resources

Under the resources tab in MySCAD, there’s a whole list of things you can use. Some of the standout ones are LinkedIn Learning, SCAD Accommodate, Peer Tutoring, Counseling Student Support Services and The Writers’ Studio.

So many alumni regret not using these more. Take advantage of them while you are here. Reach out to your professors, too!

5. Always plan

A planner is a college student’s BFF. You don’t have to be overly stringent with it. In fact, Bee Well suggests having buffer time in order to plan for the unexpected. Collecting your thoughts, projects, goals and dreams on paper is a lot better than letting them escape into the ether.

To add some panache, write assignments in different colors. Get wacky even. Write down reminders in your conversational voice. Keeping it bland can get dull, and humor might help you better remember.