Finding Calm in the Midst of Chaos: How Virginia Tech Students Deal with End-of-Semester Stress
Finding Calm in the Midst of Chaos: How Virginia Tech Students Deal with End-of-Semester Stress
By: Josie Sellers
As the fall semester at Virginia Tech ends, students face many stressors. Exam season is approaching, everyone is about to go home, and final projects are due. Still, students find ways to manage their stress in various ways.
With Tech offering many options, students have many ways to get through tough times this December. Exercise classes, the library, and Virginia Tech events are a few ways students have eased their mental and physical well-being.
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| Photo from Gianna Russo |
At McComas and War Memorial Gyms, students utilize machines, free weights, and exercise classes. These classes are a well-liked way to get moving while getting the mind off of stress-related issues such as schoolwork.
Knowing that students enjoy the classes as a way to cope with tensions during finals, Virginia Tech Rec Sports makes the classes free for all students during exam week. They even have themed classes with fun music and lights to make it more exciting.
Another popular way students cope with their workloads is by going to the library. Study rooms, quiet spaces, and other resources make it a natural place to go to prepare for exams and other assignments. “Being surrounded by so many hardworking people keeps me grounded and motivated to succeed,” junior Sydney Hill describes why she frequents the library over anywhere else when working.
The library also offers student-run resources, such as the CommLab and the Writing Center, for students to work on their skills. The CommLab is designed for students to practice their public speaking and receive feedback from trained students on what they can work on so they may prepare and ease their minds before going in front of a crowd.
If students need help with their writing, the Writing Center may be used as a resource. Whether or not the piece is for class, employees give insight on how papers may improve, giving students the option to get fresh eyes on their papers before submitting them to be graded. Having feedback from someone before submitting can especially be important this time of year when each grade matters towards the final.
While group exercise classes and the library are highly attended ways students cope with end-of-semester stress, some of the favorite stress-relievers are events created by Tech specifically for this time of year.
Since it is the end of the semester, dining funds are low, students are about to go home, and many are doing last-minute cramming in the library. To ease the stress of finding something to eat, Virginia Tech created “Cheesy Nights” in 2011, offering free grilled cheeses every night of finals outside the library from around 7 p.m. through about 11 p.m.
Volunteers such as Tech employees, Blacksburg Police Department staff, and even President Tim Sands have been known to pass out grilled cheeses, chips, and beverages to students hoping to make their week a little bit easier. President Tim Sands even engages in conversations with students, asking where they are from, their major, and whether they are enjoying their time so far at Virginia Tech.
“It made it easy for students to get some food in when otherwise they wouldn’t have because they didn’t have time to leave campus” senior Maddy Bautista describes why she is thankful for the food when she is studying her major, Biochemistry, all day in the library.
A typical line starts from the first-floor library doors to Squires Student Center, indicating that students are excited about the meal and extra support.
Another major event hosted by Tech that has been a major hit is the meetings with the therapy dogs. Multiple times during exam days, the three Virginia Tech therapy dogs Josie, Derek, and Epcot go to the library to support anyone wanting motivation.
“I wanted to see the therapy dogs because finals week is very stressful, and nothing is better than getting to see Derek, Josie, and Epcot to cheer me up!” freshman Jacqueline Hill says about her visit with the dogs. They may also be seen walking around campus and by appointment. However, the more frequent visits with them at the library during the last week of school are an attempt to make it easier to come without completely leaving one’s workspace.
During this stressful time, there are many ways students are coping with their negative emotions and large workloads. From getting active to socializing to receiving academic help, there are plenty of resources available. Just ask around to see what others are doing to help!
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