Georgie Gentile
Equinox Staff
Hello and welcome to the fourth issue of this advice column! I’m Georgie Gentile and I am a sophomore at Keene State College majoring in film production and English writing as well as minoring in German. If you have a question that you want me to answer you can email it to ggentile@kscequinox.com.
This week I will keep answering questions related to the upcoming winter season as well asinals week looming in the distance.
Question: How does finals week work?
Answer: If it is your first time experiencing finals at Keene State College, the schedule can appear to be a bit confusing when you hear it for the first time, but it is actually pretty simple. This year, the last day of classes for the fall semester will be Friday, December 6. The following Monday, December 9, will be Reading Day, where no classes take place. However, exams technically begin that evening at 6 p.m. From December 10 to 13, final exams will take place and end Friday, December 13 at 3 p.m. Residence halls also close that Friday for Winter Break. You should talk to your professors about the days and times of your exams to make sure you show up on the right day and time as well as in the right building. You should also make sure you have a way to leave campus when Winter Break begins so your finals week doesn’t become crazier than it already seems.
Question: How do I prepare for finals?
Answer: It is not easy to prepare for the end of a semester, let alone the projects and exams that take place. The first thing you should do is talk to your professors and find out the specifics of what your finals will be about. Will it be a paper? A presentation? A portfolio? Because it is November, most classes have already assigned their final workload. Once you figure out what you need to do, you can think about how you will get all the associated work done. Organize what you need to do for each assignment and create managable goals to achieve throughout the remaining month. It is very easy to fall behind on work during the last weeks of the semester, but try to push through. Try to stay on track with your work by scheduling and organizing. I know this is harder than it sounds (I had to write a 20-page paper last year, I understand). It is going to be a rough month, but once you are done you do not have to worry about classwork until January.
Question: How do I prepare for winter?
Answer: If you feel unprepared for cold weather and snow, you should get ready in the next week or two because snow may be coming sooner than you think. The most obvious things I can recommend you getting are a winter jacket and boots. They do not have to be anything fancy. Thrift stores in and around Keene should be stocked with winter gear right now. Also try to get a warm hat, gloves and socks. Dorms can also get chilly so you should have blankets and warm clothes to cozy up in as well. I also recommend getting some cans of soup, ramen and popcorn for your dorm. If it is snowing, you probably won’t t want to go to the dining commons to get dinner, so having some backup food is always helpful. Try to get some things to busy yourself while you stay inside too. Puzzles, adult coloring books, knitting or crocheting; do whatever you can to stop yourself from napping all day.
Question: How do I move out of my dorm?
Answer: If you are transferring to another school, moving to another dorm or simply need to bring a lot of your supplies at school back home, here are some tips to make the process a bit easier. Because Thanksgiving is approaching, you should gather a reasonable amount of stuff to bring home at that time. These things should be materials that you no longer need for your classes as well as clothes you won’t be wearing for the rest of the semester. The less stuff you need to bring home in December, the better. It’s surprising how much trash builds up in your room so make sure to throw out or donate everything you don’t need. You also should try to organize your stuff throughout the month so you won’t end up stressed by packing all of your gear up the night before. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for some help moving stuff around in your room. You want to leave your dorm like it was on move-in day so you may need assistance moving your bed and desk back to their original spots.
I hoped you enjoyed my advice! See you next week!
Georgie Gentile can be contacted at
ggentile@kscequinox.com
