Tufts Blogs

As the semester winds down, the last thing left is finals. December is usually filled up with final projects, exams, and papers. So, I wanted to share what finals can look like in college and how I de-stress during exam week! 

Final exams can look very different depending on the course/subject. In my time at Tufts, I have seen various formats of final exams. The popular formats are in-class exams, take-home exams, 10-15 page papers, or a group project. First, the in-class exam and group projects are most similar to high school. For in-class exams, it’s a timed exam with multiple choice and short answers. As for group projects, the specifics can vary depending on the course objective and the professor, but it is usually pretty standard. 

However, I had never had a take-home exam or a semester-long paper in high school so it was a little overwhelming at first. A take-home exam can be anything from a paper to a project-like work where it is mostly writing and some research. Again, this will heavily depend on the professor and the course. As for a semester-long paper, it is usually a 10-15 page paper on the research you did relating to the course materials. In high school, papers (or ‘essays’) are mostly on the book you read in English class or History perhaps. However, in college, you’ll be required to write papers in most of your classes. Some classes have a semester-long paper where you learn course materials and research skills to create a product at the end. An example of this is my CH 131: Applied Quantitative Research Methods course. We learned how to use STATA (a statistical software) and how to analyze databases. In the course, we were asked to create a research question (community health-related) and I chose to work with the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to research my topic. The class consisted of analyzing the database of choice using STATA and writing a 10-15 page paper on what I found. Though it may sound like a lot of work, which it was, you get to work on it throughout the whole semester so it is more manageable. 

Speaking of finals, it is generally a stressful time since finals are usually worth the most when determining your grade. Therefore, a lot of students can get overwhelmed! So, I wanted to share some things I do to help de-stress. When I’m studying, I usually like to put on my study playlist which has songs without any lyrics. It helps me from falling asleep since very quiet spaces make me a little sleepy, but this is also a personal choice. I find that songs without lyrics help me focus. Also, I make sure to take breaks by stretching or grabbing a snack during my study sessions. Breaks are so important because it helps you re-focus and energize. Lastly, if you are really overwhelmed and feel stuck on something when studying, it helps to get away from it for a little bit. You can take a break or do a short walk around your dorm so you can have a fresh perspective when you come back. I think a lot of people overlook the importance of taking breaks because it may seem like a ‘waste of time,’ especially if you are cramming. However, breaks can be 10-15 minutes and you’ll most likely be more productive with breaks in between. 

Good luck to everyone taking their exams! If you’re interested in getting a glimpse into what kinds of courses are offered at Tufts, you can check it out here: https://universitycollege.tufts.edu/courses/browse