Abigail Youngblood
The Runner Staff

It’s that time of the quarter again where students reach the point of maximum stress, as final course grades are usually determined by how well they do on their final exam.
These exams are typically the most daunting task of the entire quarter, which can cause students to be overwhelmed with stress and exhaustion, as their tired bodies and brains attempt to study in hopes that they don’t fail.
If there’s one thing that’s for certain about studying for finals, it’s that cramming and procrastination tend to go hand-in-hand.
Junior Danielle Hernandez does just that.
“I completely ignore studying until the day before, then just cram to the point of giving up and then hope for the best,” said Hernandez.
Senior Chelsea Lowes also finds these techniques best when preparing for exams.
“I procrastinate then cram… Not the best techniques, but I’ve gotten this far,” Lowes said.
Cramming for a short amount of time a few days before finals also works for sophomore Maribel Gutierrez.
“I stare at it, highlight what I’m supposed to study, wait until two days before, study for 30 minutes, then procrastinate until the day before. Then I get tired and pray to God that all goes well,” said Gutierrez.
Prayer is choice technique of sophomore Madison Miller, who procrastinates and crams the night before an exam.
“I basically put it in God’s hands because the Lord knows I’m going to need his help on them every time,” Miller said.
Senior Gabe Hinojosa chooses to ignore thinking about finals until the day of.
“I cram 30 minutes prior to an exam and then just wing it,” said Hinojosa.
Procrastinating and cramming are not techniques that are utilized by only the students of today.
When looking at a story about finals from a 1990 edition of the CSU Bakersfield Runner, students of that generation also used these last-minute techniques to prepare for final exams.
Wayne Marden, age 21 at the time, is a prime example that these approaches to preparing for finals have been used for many years.
“To keep a minimum of stress throughout the week I don’t study until the last minute, therefore reducing the number of days I have to cope with stress,” Marden said.
Chris Shannon, 19, does the same.
“I cram and hope for the best,” said Shannon.
Like the students of today, 24 year-old Bill Goessman also used these styles in preparing for finals.
“I usually wait two days before I have them and then cram,” Goessman said.