“I feel overwhelmed and stressed because there is a lot of work to study in a short time.” These are the words spoken by Liyahluma Somzana, a 3rd year LLB student, when asked how she felt about her academic workload and upcoming assessments. Her experience reflects the struggles many students face during this time of the year, as academic pressure continues to intensify and the limited time available to prepare for assessments adds to their stress.
The final weeks of the academic year are among the most critical periods in a student’s academic journey. They determine whether the student completes their degree, qualifies for exams, continues with their degree the following year, and so on. With so much at stake, many students find it difficult to cope with the demands of this period, as some experience high levels of stress, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion. These challenges can make the end of the academic year particularly overwhelming, highlighting the importance of understanding how students experience and manage the pressures associated with this crucial time.
These pressures may be caused by multiple academic demands such as tests, assignment deadlines, and exam preparation. Others may be dealing with personal hardships such as relationship breakups, problems at home, financial problems, et cetera. All of these things tend to intensify at this time of the year as students are expected to showcase their understanding of everything they have studied during the semester or the year.
Somzana said her biggest challenge in the final stretch of the semester is dealing with stress while trying to stay motivated and focused on her studies. “Sometimes, I struggle to find the energy to study, and I end up feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work I still need to do,” she said. “I have been trying to manage this by breaking my work into smaller sections and focusing on one topic at a time”.
Mr Zakhele Nkosi, an Applied Mineralogy and Historical Geology lecturer at UP, was asked what advice he would give to students who feel unprepared for their upcoming assessments or exams. He provided profound advice by saying, “Create a one-page cheat sheet: distill essential formulas, definitions, key connections, and diagrams onto a single physical page to review right up until entering the exam hall to calm nerves and lock in key concepts.”
Mental wellbeing becomes an essential matter to deal with as the academic year draws to a close, which is why prioritising wellbeing through adequate rest, taking breaks, and seeking support from friends, lecturers or the Student Counselling Unit (SCU) can help students manage academic pressure during the final stretch of the year. The Student Counselling Unit supports students through professional consultations, peer support, and a range of mental health resources. All enrolled students are eligible to access the SCU services.
Students usually feel like they do not have sufficient support to help them with their academics, but Mr Nkosi states that “Lecturers make themselves available for student consultations between classes, though students frequently underutilise this resource until late in the semester.” This means that students should prioritise more consultations with their lecturers and attend study skills and time management workshops usually hosted by the different faculties. Somzana suggested that it would help if lecturers provided clear study guidelines and revision materials to help students prepare for exams.
Ultimately, as UP students approach the end of the academic year, finding a balance between academic success and personal wellbeing remains essential to finishing the year on a positive note.
Visual: Thando
