This semester, I am one of those suckers whose last final falls on the very last day of exam period. Adding to the pain is the fact that it is an exam in statistics, a subject I both loathe and am terrible at. On the midterm I got every answer wrong, but my compassionate TA gave me points for trying.

The fear of my impending final failure sent me scurrying to the library for some quality study time and I have yet to leave (I’m considering having my mail addressed here). Sixteen hours straight in the library and you’re bound to start feeling loopy. In the search for something to concentrate on other than the chi-squared test, you also might start noticing some weird things going on…

Because people are so consumed with work and are therefore also residing in the library, they’ve moved their entire lives into their tiny study space: private phone calls, private conversations, eating habits that should be private (anchovies on top of pizza—blech). I’ve witnessed relationship mini-dramas in the stacks, stumbled across a couple taking a creative study break, and some surreptitious flask sippage. Alchol and sleep deprivation combined with a certain amount of desperation will lead to some interesting things, such as the three recent events that I consider evidence of what too much studying does to the college student’s brain. Read More »

So I’ve heard about college finals for years, and I expected the worst. I was ready to pull all-nighters, write twenty-page papers, and spend every waking hour of the day tucked into a library corner. But finals are next week, and here I am, writing this blog instead of hiding behind piles of books.

Maybe it’s just the classes I am taking—and of course, I know the freshman 100-level classes are the easiest—but I don’t feel too freaked out. Well, maybe I’m a little stressed, given that most of my teachers think that assigning long essays is better than assigning a final test. That leaves me with hours of work to do this weekend. But I’d rather write an essay than study for a test, so I am not too worried. I’ve found these classes pretty reasonable, which proves to me that all those AP classes actually did simulate the college experience.

What I’m feeling this week more than nerves and stress is relief. I’m relieved to have conquered the first semester of college. It’s not that I expected to have a terrible first semester, but I never assumed it would be so easy. I was terrified that I would be the girl who made lots of so-so friends, but never made a real connection. In high school I liked to stand out in class, and I thought I would hide in the corner in college classes. And I thought I’d miss my old friends and my family like crazy. I’ve seen other freshmen here go through that. But for me, everything seemed to fall into place. Read More »

Did Laura Bush kill someone?

And did Coldplay steal their song?

Honeyshed is a new, easy and awesome way to shop.

Amy Poehler took a little break from baby Archie to head back to SNL.

Does fish oil help your skin?

Goodbye Boston Legal!

Choosing a school? Consider the student debt.

Beyonce might be the only woman who can still rock a beehive.

Let’s all learn something from the Depression.

Dealing with the stress of finals.

How professors can save students money.

Finals are coming, which means we are spending every waking moment trying to learn all those things we should have been learning all semester. We have only taken one break so far, which led to a drink, then five drinks, then a total late night pizza binge.

But Psych 350 and English 125 aren’t the only things we’ve learned this week (mostly because we still haven’t gotten through a quarter of the material yet):

We learned that you can be friends after sex, that you can be warm and chic, and that French men are the ones to go for.

We learned that jumping rope is the best calorie burner, that there is a big difference between dating undergrads and grad students, and that guys think hot girl models are intimidating, too.

We learned that the Big 3 automakers are totally screwed, that the best way to pay for school is by getting a sugar daddy, and that a guy’s condom preference says a lot about his character.

We also learned that 4th graders know more about dating than college boys, that we can put abortions on our wish lists this year and that lots of guys fear commitment.

We even learned how to make soup!

Whew. No wonder there is no room left in our brains for all that boring Psych shiz.

Ugh. Finals. Is there anything worse? You sorta coast through the entire semester with nothing to do but some really boring reading and then - BAM - you have to take a giant test that determines your entire grade (and possibly future). Yeah, that’s not stressful or anything.

So now you are stuck in the library for days at a time trying to stuff 4 classes worth of info into your alcohol-tainted brain. And you need an effing break! What do you do? Here is what CollegeCandy’s writers do for their much needed study break:

Sues - University of New Hampshire: My whole day is pretty much a series of study breaks since I continuously get sucked into the Internet and realize that I’m online shopping, reading blogs, and basically doing everything but studying. If I step away from the computer, I go to the gym!

John - UConn: My study break is when I stop drinking coffee in order to drink beer.

Kari - FSU: My study break looks like Phish Food, a well earned back rub from my boyfriend, and a wonderfully distracting episode of The Office…30 minutes of Jim Halpert’s face will perk me up any day. Read More »

Lil Wayne nomination domination.

Santa Claus is scary (but totally hilarious)!

Proposition 8, The Musical.

The perfect anti-flu remedy.

Check out the Bromance trailer. It’s gonna be good.

Is Spencer drugging Heidi!?

Self-mutilation takes on a new form.

Madonna is the new face of Gucci.

Ew, shag sweaters?

A few final exam tips.

Vampires on the prowl in LA.

How many countries can you name in 5 minutes?

ABC cancels a whole bunch of TV shows.

Angelina controls the media.

How to get discounts on beauty products!

George Clooney looks like a hot mess.

Single ladies aren’t the only ones putting a ring on it

How to avoid having sex.

Chocolates for Thanksgiving.

Tips for studying for finals without losing your head.