Finals at Nicholls always seem far away. Until they aren’t, leaving students scrambling for dates, details and any plan that isn’t built on last-minute hope. 

Every semester, students start whispering the same question: “Do you even know when our final is?” Often, the answer is no. Some professors hold on to exam dates like state secrets. The days slip by, and everyone waits for an announcement that feels like it should have come yesterday. 

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: you can’t wait for your professor. 

Nicholls publishes its finals schedule months ahead. It’s fixed. It’s public. It’s usually printed on posters in buildings we all walk past without looking. So use it. If you know you need plenty of study time—and many of us do—start preparing based on that calendar, not on the mystery date you hope your professor will eventually reveal. 

Before you begin your study marathon, figure out what you’re actually supposed to study. You’d be surprised how many students spend days reviewing the entire semester, only to discover the exam covers three units. A simple email could prevent this tragedy. Ask what’s included. Ask what’s not. Ask before you spend four hours relearning Chapter One, which you mastered back in August. 

Once you have the details, set up a routine. Maybe you study best in the library. Maybe you need a coffee shop. Maybe your room works—assuming you don’t look directly at your unmade bed for too long. Pick a place and keep returning to it. Finals reward consistency more than ambition fueled by panic. 

Remember—you’re not the only one figuring this out. All over campus, students are firing off nervous emails, highlighting the wrong paragraphs and refreshing Canvas as if the answers might appear there by magic. 

Finals week will always bring stress, but it doesn’t have to be chaotic. Start early, know exactly what’s on your exam and set a study routine before the pressure hits. The clock is ticking either way.

So don’t wait for the date. Look it up, plan around it and spare your future self from the classic finals-week meltdown.