The Christmas holiday is just around the corner, but before students depart for family festivities, they must first face one more stressed filled, caffeine fueling and sleep depriving week of final exams.

“I usually stress a lot, but I still end up passing,” Elizabeth Perkins, senior Mass Communication – Electronic Media major, said. “In my mind I just look at it as just another test and not a final.”

Finals can have a major impact on overall performances and many students spend days studying for an exam that might only take a few hours to complete, but the stress of finals is different for every student, depending on their classification and major.

“I think freshmen stress about finals the most,” Dr. James Calvi, associate dean of the College of Education and Social Sciences said. “It’s a first time experience with them and [it’s] different in high school where they took tests. I do notice students do better on the final exam since they know what is expected.”

Nevertheless, the difference in stress levels also means different ways of dealing with stress and preparing for the exams.

“I think each student has their own strategy when it comes to finals,” Westermann said. “Many benefit from doing group study sessions. Other students really do good by locking themselves in a quiet room and studying.”

Different psychological standpoints can also affect a student’s performance.