Students are beginning to feel the pressure of Finals Week as the first semester term at Ohio State since the 1920s comes to a close. Along with the new structure of classes, Finals Week on the semester system will be an additional change for students.
David Schneider, assistant registrar of room and activities scheduling in the University Registrar’s Office, said final exams are scheduled over five days instead of four as they were on the quarter system.
Exams will also span two weeks instead of one like in previous years. Tuesday is the last day of classes and finals begin on Thursday, allowing students one “Reading Day” on Wednesday.
Exams are scheduled to resume after the weekend on Dec. 9 and will continue until Dec. 12.
Schneider said the new schedule comes with advantages for students.
“I think the new finals schedule is a little more friendly to students in terms of having prep time before their finals begin,” Schneider said.
Since many students are about one more class than they would be on the quarter system, the extra time helps them better prepare, Schneider said.
Casey Rinehart, program coordinator for the Younkin Success Center, said in an email that the extra day will allow students to focus more on their assignments.
“With an increase in credit hours taken per student … five full days within the semester system will allow students the ability to spread out studying for exams,” Rinehart said. “Utilizing Reading Day and the weekend in the middle of exam week to devote specific time toward each exam may assist students with additional time for their exam preparations.”
The Younkin Success Center offers space for students to study throughout the semester, and Rinehart said starting Wednesday, the building will be open 24/7 until the end of Finals Week, including over the weekend. The center also offers free tutoring until Monday.
While some students might wait to cram for their exams, others said they have been managing their time since August.
“I’m one of the those people who always go to class and I always do my homework, so I never freak out on Finals Week,” said Sam Stakel, a fourth-year in human nutrition.
However, Stakel said her semester courses have added obstacles.
“I just have more classes that I am taking so it is a little bit more nerve-racking trying to balance the work load and prioritize,” Stakel said.
The change in the Finals Week schedule looks to help students in their study habits, but some might not be able to cash in on the advantages.
“I like that (Finals Week) is two weeks instead of one week, but most of my teachers are doing finals a week before anyway and our papers are due in a week, so it doesn’t really benefit me that much,” said Sara Murphy, a fourth-year in communication.
The extra days between finals will help some students organize their time better, and Murphy said she plans on using the added time to write papers for her classes. Schneider said the semester system will allow students to be more successful.
“I think it is just being more friendly to students wherever we could,” Schneider said.