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Tips to help students manage fall semester finals

Close out the semester with these helpful Coral Gables Campus resources and useful pointers to help guide you smoothly through your week of final exams.
Students studying in the Richter Library. Photo: Jenny Hudak/University of Miami
Students studying in the Richter Library. Photo: Jenny Hudak/University of Miami

Wednesday marked the last day of classes for the Fall 2021 semester, which means students are officially preparing for finals week. To help guide those testing Dec. 10–16, here’s a list of campus resources to help close out the semester on a high note.

1. Take advantage of extra study spaces around the Coral Gables Campus. Dooly Memorial classroom building rooms 100–109 will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. this Thursday, Dec. 9, to all students.

Additional study spaces are also available in the Braman Miller Center for Jewish Student Life (Hillel) from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. during the week. There will be spaces for group study as well as quiet rooms. Free treats and beverages are available on the second floor.

2. Share words of advice or encouragement with fellow students on the Affirmation Wall, a large white board located in the Learning Commons on the first floor of the Richter Library.

3. When you’re not studying for those tests, visit the Meditation Room in Richter Library, available 24/7, or visit the Libraries’ Mindfulness online resource collection of e-books, audiobooks, and more.

4. De-stress and pet a therapy dog in the Richter Library nightly Dec. 12–14, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

5. Get a free star-shaped stress ball or crayons and coloring sheets to relieve some tension from Access Services in the Richter Library.

6. Relax and solve a digital puzzle with free selections from the Smithsonian available through University Libraries.

7. Enjoy a snack break at the Otto G. Richter Library with free food distributed by Access Services during the evenings of Dec. 10–16. 

8. Study spaces around the Student Center Complex include the University Center Lower Lounge, Kornspan Study Lounge, and one of the newest study spaces, the Ibis Study Lounge (located on the second floor of the UC). Students can reserve a study space.

For additional support and resources to help you improve your well-being and decrease stress—not just during finals week—visit the Counseling Center and Student Affairs’ Well-being and Resiliency websites.