By Kara Paternoster, May 31,2016
Three students interviewed May 10 and May 11 before final exams began May 22 weighed in about the stress they were facing.
Ally DaCunha, 22, of Brooklyn, said she stuck with her organizational strategy. “I make lists of everything I have to do in the order in which they need to be done,” said the psychology major. DaCunha said she ws set to graduate this semester and said in the interview conducted via text message, “I am relieved it’s almost over.”
Stephanie Salazar, 21, from the Bronx was “very overwhelmed about finals” but plan to cope by “trying to see the silver lining,” which, the English major said, was “being one step closer to graduating.” She could get her degrees, she said, when she completes two summer classes.
Salazar, who wore leggings and a denim shirt during the interview that began on the fifth floor of the West Building and continued via email, said she was “nervous and slight anxious” about her summer classes.
Katelyn Mauro, 21, of Brooklyn, said she felt prepared for final but complained that her exams were timed to close together. “Typically, I try to keep telling myself to take things one day at a time. I make a schedule of things I have to do each day and try to stick it out until I’m finished with all of my tasks,” the English major said. “Complaining and venting with friends going through the same things helps out a lot as well.”
Salazar has already scheduled her classes for the fall. “This semester as a whole has been incredibly stressful and I am very glad to get it over with.”
Mauro, who wore jeans and a black T-shirt, also began her interview on the fifth floor of the West Building and continued via email. She said she was very excited for summer,” though feeling “burnt out and exhausted.
“It always feel like the end of the semester drags on and it’s when we have the heaviest workloads so I feel consumed by stress,” she said.
Kara Paternostro can be reached at Kara.Paternostro61@myhunter.cuny.edu