Whew! One semester down, one to go for seniors and three for juniors. This has certainly been a unique semester with all of COVID-19’s changes to Western Kentucky University and students’ daily lives. However, Gatton and WKU faculty handled the situation relatively well and students were still able to have an enjoyable and safe time living on campus.

Every Finals Week can arguably be considered one of the most stressful weeks you will experience at Gatton, but nonetheless, students still find ways to have fun. Typically during Finals Week when students are on campus, WKU does not have any classes so students are often found celebrating “swipe-mas” by spending their remaining meal plans at various campus dining spots and studying through the night with friends. Some students have all of their finals at the beginning of the week and choose to either go home early or enjoy their remaining days on campus, while others have exams throughout the week. It may seem overwhelming at first, but after every exam, a weight is lifted off your back and you can breathe a little easier.

Before you know it, you will be at the end of one more semester and we get to enjoy Winter/Summer break as a reward for all of our hard work.

Due to the Coronavirus, students’ finals week experience this semester has been vastly different than it normally would be. Most students have been home since the start of Thanksgiving break and a few stayed in the Gatton building to finish out the semester. Professors had to make the decision of how they wanted to administer their final exams: in person before Thanksgiving break, fully online without proctoring, or online while students joined a Zoom meeting. I only had three finals to take during Finals Week this semester, so it felt relatively laid-back for me.

Although current juniors still have three more Gatton semesters to enjoy, seniors are saddened by the prospect of officially only having one semester left. However, I anticipate that seniors will make the most of the time we have left together, and it is exciting to see the bright futures that are ahead of all of our students.

Everything wrapped up nicely in a bow just in time for the holidays, and I hope that everyone has a wonderful and relaxing Winter Break!

–     Mina Ryumae