Dead week unnecessary at best, time could be better utilized
Alana MousaviDin
The week-long break we are given for study time is unnecessary. Rarely do you hear of students actually utilizing that week for its intended purpose.
If they had exams at the end of the instructional period, without having to wait a week to begin them, students would have a weekend or so to study.
It would feel more like they are taking a normal exam for their class, instead of increasing the massive pressure to cram everything in.
It is greatly appreciated when professors actually have a class dedicated to review and questions pertaining to exam material – keep this in mind professors.
Students do better on those exams because the information is fresh and questions they may have never thought about have been brought up, clarifying the subject matter even further.
If our teachers were to have regularly scheduled exams throughout the semester instead of having a major comprehensive exam at the midterm point and again at the end of the semester, it would take a lot of the stress out of retaining the valuable information learned throughout the semester.
Study week is great for all intended purposes, but is mostly used for a few days off – many don’t actually begin studying until Thursday or Friday of that week.
Having all exams finished by the end of the instructional period would not only allow students to be free two weeks earlier, but it would allow the teachers an extra week to enjoy the break, if possible.
High school has been long done, as are the teaching and testing methods, but in a way, those random exams plus the midterm and final exams were better because they gave ample opportunity to pound the course material in a little more. This extra instructional time could prove to be a beneficial route to students in the long run.
Again, the administration generously provides students with a study period, but in retrospect, it would best suit the students if we were to just be able to take our exams without that week.
Let’s just get it done. The kinks can be worked out with time, because as with everything new, it will take time to adjust.
Alana MousaviDin is a communication senior and may be reached at [email protected].
Week-long hiatus gives students much-needed break from books
Andrew Taylor
The final day of lecture fora this spring semester is May 4.
The final exam period begins shortly after starting on May 6 and lasts until May 14, according to the UH Web site.
The final exam schedule is set up so the majority of finals are on May 8, a Friday, for Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes. Although only five Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes have exams that Monday, the majority of final exams take place Monday May 11 through Thursday May 14.
‘The one to one-and-a-half week hiatus given after final lectures is an excellent concept, giving students ample time to properly prepare for the final exam period,’ economics senior Kyle Randazzo said.
The helpful gap gives students a chance to go home or catch up on sleep that they may have lost studying for exams at the very end of the last lecture week.
That last week can be very stressful, fraught with projects, papers and presentations.
Most importantly, those days off can be used as days to review the material learned throughout the semester, or as cram sessions if the material wasn’t learned to begin with.
‘A week is usually enough time to prepare for finals,’ communication junior Amanda Luu said. ‘However, when a professor gives the last exam over the last few chapters then gives the final exam a week later, it becomes testing overload.
‘Exam overload can be detrimental for a student if multiple professors are doing the same thing,’ Luu added.
The week before finals, which is the light at the end of the tunnel for most students, is crucial. The week off does no good unless you fully utilize it with dedication and responsibility.
‘As soon as classes end and the week off before final exams starts, I give myself a day to sleep in and unwind before I go into study overload,’ Luu said.
‘It’s not a week off for relaxation, but hours of preparation for a semester’s length material; multiply that times 4 or 5 classes.’
This is the reality of college life for students, and sometimes it takes enduring weeks of stress and nothing but books, before we get to enjoy another glimpse of freedom.
‘The only thing that keeps me going is that light at the end of the tunnel – the start of the break,’ Luu said.
Andrew Taylor is an economics junior and may be reached at [email protected].
