The Rice Thresher

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December 7, 2007 > Opinion > Student kindness and caring needed during finals period

Student kindness and caring needed during finals period

By Amanda Melchor | Thresher Editorial Staff

Once again, the most wonderful time of the year is upon us. No, I am not just talking traditional holidays. I am talking about the proverbial coal in every student’s stocking: finals time. The time crunch begins today as 16 weeks of work and study culminate in a frantic 10 days of literal and figurative tests.

For many students, this time does not resemble in the slightest the usual mirth and goodwill that should characterize the holiday season. But instead of smiling and trying to focus on the positive aspects of the holiday, overworked students snap and snarl at each other.

As children, many of us engaged in activities that defined the holidays for us: watching Christmas specials, caroling, cooking warm and delicious treats and setting up homemade decorations with our families. For me, the decorations and lights stayed up well into January and did not come down until the temperatures warmed up. This childhood cheer and warmth fails to stay with many us as we grow up and enter college, especially when exam time rolls around.

Generally, Rice students and faculty support each other in times of need, stress, and hardship. But the holiday season at Rice tends not to be an occasion of joy and celebration, but one of frustration and impatience.

Unlike other peer universities, students refrain from stealing homework and books and purposely sabotaging others’ projects and experiments. With the onset of finals, however, unhealthy competition manifests itself in others ways. We argue about who has the most difficult exam and finals workload as though there is an honest-to-goodness winner in the perverse competition of academic, physical and mental exhaustion. This kind of competition proves itself wholly unnecessary and unproductive. Our warm nature changes under the pressure of exams, exactly at the time when that nature is needed the most.

Students are naturally caught up in their own suffering and there is nothing wrong with that. But we should keep in mind we are all in the same finals boat and experiencing the same stress over different assessments. To put this into further perspective, there are those outside the manicured hedges whose situations are far more serious and whose problems will not end by Dec. 19 at 5 p.m. Some folks, who do not have enough to eat or struggle to keep their heat and lights on, are much less capable than most Rice students of celebrating the holidays with trappings of food, lights and gifts. People with family and friends overseas will not see their loved ones for the holidays. Those overseas are separated from their families at a time when family and love are emphasized the most.

Though not easy, we should try to support each other and be kind to fellow examinees during one of the most difficult periods of the semester. We all find ourselves consumed with our workload, so we should try not to lash out at others in the midst of our stress.

Just because there are finals does not mean finals time should be devoid of enjoyment.

Take a lunch, afternoon or evening off and explore Houston. Hop in your car or a friend’s car and see the city at its best, with twinkling, sparkling lights and the occasional holiday discount. Get yourself into the holiday spirit of giving and donate a new toy or clothes to the Salvation Army or a local women’s center.

Finals are a temporary suffering but the kindness shown to others and ourselves now can have a deeper and more beneficial effect that I know we all need and appreciate.

Amanda Melchor is a Hanszen College junior and opinion editor.

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