Feeling the stress yet? With exams just around the corner and the bill for next semester coming soon, we have all got a lot to worry about. But why? Surely there has to be a less stressful way to approach the end of each semester.

The final exam has long been a part of the school system’s methods. By testing students on everything they have learned throughout the semester seems only logical, but is it really?

When so much of a student’s grade depends on a single test for each class, that can be incredibly stressful for most, but for others it can be crippling.

Students who are just poor test-takers could fail a class all because of the stress of that final exam. Students who worked and studied hard all semester get their grade destroyed because of the high stress situation, not because of their lack of knowledge on the material.

To pile on top of that stress, the amount due for next semester comes in right about now as well. Never mind not being able to pass a class; being concerned about affording next semester’s classes at the same time just piles onto this stress and worry for the student. It may only take one failing class for a student to lose eligibility for their scholarships. If that happens, then what? What about the next semester?

This finals system is quite poor and is causing universities like ETSU to lose students due to simple stress and worry. They may be passing a class going into finals week, but there is no way to guarantee that they can handle the stress of several finals on top of financial worry for the future. There have been several solutions to this problem, and ETSU offers counseling and tutoring for students with test anxiety, but is that enough?

ETSU is pushing good students away, students who are succeeding in classes and may even have the financial aid to cover their next semester, but they are doomed to fail if they cannot handle the culmination of stress these last few weeks of the semester. Surely the university can work out a better system for students to better prepare themselves for final tests. It seems that continuing finals week is doing more harm than good.

Author

  • Michael Trotter-Lawson

    Born in Abingdon, Virginia and raised all across the Tri-Cities, Michael Trotter-Lawson came to ETSU to pursue a degree in music education. He is a trombone player in the jazz band and the Marching Bucs here at ETSU. He has since switched to digital media and aims to pursue a career in the gaming industry.

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