After a semester of ups and downs, it’s finally here. The dreaded finals week – the only thing standing between you and Christmas.

 

Finals week always starts off positive. The can-do-it attitude surfaces and you’re ready to take on the world.

 

All your friends are praying for a curve but, as a conservative, you’re determined to work for your grade.

 

Slowly, all of the work starts to tower over you, and your planner can’t handle any more entries. It’s eating at you and allowing doubt to creep in.

 

Your head is spinning and your resolve is fading quickly. You started the week wearing a killer outfit and now can barely bring yourself to dig out a new pair of sweats to study in. You feel the judging stares but you don’t even care at this point.

 

Your study group is supportive, they’re the only thing pulling you through as you move into your second all-nighter of the week.

 

Your mom calls to ask how you’re holding up and you can’t help but laugh.

 

You walk into your final – determined as ever.

 

And only a little delusional.

 

When you’re finally done, you flip your hair and strut out of that liberal professor’s final.

 

And when you feel confident that you aced it, you can’t stop smiling. You were worried for nothing.

 

But there’s always that one final that sneaks up on you and rips you to pieces.

 

There’s really only one solution.

 

But you realize that, at least it’s over. You can now deck the halls, sing Christmas carols and forget about finals.

 

Until next semester, that is.