By Jaci Schneider, Copy Editor

With finals week looming, students have begun scrambling to refine papers, finish projects and study for tests.

Finals week officially begins at the end of Dead Day at 6:30 p.m. Monday and continues through the week, with each regularly scheduled class given a two-hour time slot between 8 a.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Although professors urge students to begin studying early for their final tests, many will stay up late at night cramming for their exams.

Jessica Masters, senior English major from Tallahassee, Fla., and facilitator for the university’s Writing Center in the Learning Commons, said last week 118 students made appointments to receive assistance on papers, compared to 84 the week before.

“A lot of people are commenting about how they’re staying up all night to get projects finished,” Masters said.

Beth Kellar, public service assistant in the Library Common, said she has seen several signs in the past week that indicate finals week is near.

She said she emptied the coin machine by the copiers and took out $1,400 worth of change after a two-week period, the amount she usually collects in a month. She said the gate count to the library has also doubled in the past week.

“All the computer stations are constantly filled,” Kellar said. “And a lot of people have to wait for one to open.”

Another sign that points to Finals Week is the flow of books into the library. Kellar said students stop checking out books and begin turning them in by the stack. She said overdue fines also jump in the weeks before exams.

“People need to keep their books just a couple of more days to get that paper done,” she said.

As the study spots in the library fill and the work piles up, Kellar said staff positions empty because students become too busy to make it into work and can’t find anyone to fill their shifts.

Hannah Hoffman, senior English major from Monroeville, Penn., said she is starting to get stressed out about her exams.

“In one of my classes, I’m not sure what’s expected of me on the final,” Hoffman said. “That’s adding to my stress level.”

Hoffman said she studies by reviewing books for her English classes and creating one-page study guides for her other courses.

Natalie Sosebee, junior exercise science physical therapy major from Thornton, Colo., said she has four finals.

“I cram a lot,” Sosebee said. “Usually two days before the test.”