By SAMANTHA SIZEMORE
samantha@du2.byu.edu
Finals are looming near as students scurry about campus, trying to take care of last-minute assignments. The Testing Center may be calm this week, but students are stressed.
Larissa Stockhoff, 18, a freshman from Carson City, Nev., has three finals next week.
Stockhoff said, 'The finals are going to make or break my grade . . .I'm completely stressed out. I've never had this much homework in my entire life.'
Stockhoff said she looks forward to Christmas break so she can catch up on the sleep she's been missing.
'Right now I don't get any sleep. I stay up late and do all my homework,' she said.
Bruce Carpenter, associate professor of psychology at BYU, said students can cope with end-of-the-semester stress by gaining personal control in their lives.
'Stress is caused by having too much to do with not enough resources,' he said.
Carpenter also said students, especially those who procrastinate, often get so overwhelmed they are unable to study effectively.
'The need to make a plan,' he said.
Making lists or schedules helps students to prioritize and focus on the things that need immediate attention, Carpenter said. He also suggested students put other, less pressing problems on hold during finals week.
Elizabeth Haddad, 18, a freshman from Chicago studying English teaching, said she is stressed over finals, but not as much as other people.
'I'm just trying to manage my time. I started studying a while ago and that's just the best way I think I can manage it,' she said.
Mike Jones, 21, a sophomore studying business, said he has had problems adjusting to school so soon after returning from his mission. Right now, he is just trying not to feel too overwhelmed, he said.
Carpenter said students should be realistic. Sometimes, they won't be able to finish everything before the end of the semester. They should just concentrate on completing what they can, he said.
'Stress is a fact of life,' he said.
One of the most important ways to cope with stress is to remember to take breaks. Students should schedule outings with friends or other distractions to break up their study time. This does not mean, however, students should 'distract' themselves too much. They need to find a balance, Carpenter said.