Ask Pablo | Finals Week

Advice from a curious kitten

GRAPHIC BY CASSANDRA TWEED | THE SPECTRUM
No one ever got anywhere by being a lazy bum.

Howdy frens!

It’s been quite some time since we’ve last chatted, but finals week is right around the corner and I want to offer my support.

Q: “Hello Pablo what are your recommended study methods?”

A: As much as I would like to say that there is one perfect way to study, that just isn’t true.

You could quiz yourself on the material for the test, study with a friend, draw it out…the list is endless.

Everyone is different, so whatever works best for you is what I recommend.

I study by sitting on books and absorbing the knowledge through my toe beans.

Q: “Why does college make me want to die?”

A: Oh fren, I’m sad to hear this. College should be a fun time in your life because not many people get the privilege to even go to college!

But, I can understand why you feel that way. Times are tough out there for hoomans.

I hope that things get better for you and you don’t feel like college makes you want to die anymore.

Q: “Hi.”

A: Howdy!

Q: “What’s a purrrfect way to relieve stress?”

A: I know that self-care has become quite the trendy topic lately, but caring for yourself looks different for everyone.

The most important thing to remember when caring for yourself and relieving stress is to prioritize.

My hooman feels better when she cleans or goes to the gym because she knows that it is good for her in the long-term. Once these important priorities are taken care of, she can focus on the fun things.

For fun, she likes to watch Netflix and play with me, and those are good options for relieving stress in the short-term.

I say, do what you have to do and then you can do what you want to do.

Q: “How do I confront my roommates about how nasty they are? (Like they leave dirty dishes in their room for weeks and never help clean up around the house).”

A: To quote Nike, just do it. Rip the band-aid off. The anticipation of talking to your roommate may be much worse than actually doing it.

I suggest knowing ahead of time exactly what you’re going to say (maybe even practice saying it to a fren), and then sticking to it.

Using “I” statements will help a lot too.

I believe in you!

Q: “Why is our base of knowledge tested for classes we don’t always care about?”

A: I can think of a few reasons as to why your base of knowledge is being tested.

  1. It’s part of a curriculum that the professors need to teach (maybe they don’t care much about it either).
  2. It can help a professor gauge where the class is at with the basic information of the course topic.
  3. And lastly, it always helps to go back to the basics and know them well.

Q: “Dear Pablo, my finals week isn’t as stressful as my friends… how can I help them through it?”

A: You sound like a great fren!

I have a couple of ideas for you.

In your downtime, your friends might appreciate if you help them study. Or if you think your friend is in need of a break, suggest doing something fun to relax in between study sessions.

Maybe when all of your tests are finished, you can have a fun celebration!

That is all I have for advice on finals week. I wish you all the best of luck, hoomans.

If you have any more questions, ask them here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QSZRFTY

All the best,
Pablo

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