Every student talks about surviving finals week and how to prepare for the stressful times ahead, but no one ever comments on what one should do if they end up failing their finals.

Failing a final is one of the worst feelings. After studying all week and pulling one too many all-nighters, it’s over. The deed has been done, and there is no going back in time to warn yourself that you are studying all the wrong material. But what’s next? What do you do if you go on Blackboard only to see an F among your final grades?

Coping, that’s what’s next. This is what to do if you ever have to deal with the doom and gloom of an F.

Calculate

If all your grades are not entered yet, or if you are sure that you failed that final, math is now your best friend. If you haven’t already, the first thing is to calculate what you needed on the final to either pass the class or get the grade you were hoping for. There are many websites that can help with calculating a grade if math is not your strong suit. These will put your mind at ease or help you prepare for the worst.

Email the professor

If you really thought you did well on this exam, email the professor to find out where you went wrong. Have the guts to go into their office and face them with that F and ask why.

Cry

You’re finally done with finals, and now you can let all those emotions that were building up out. Not to mention the fact you got the grades back and they were not good. Although crying will not bring your grade back up to passing, it will keep you from going insane, or at least try to.

Campus Connection

Now that you’ve accepted the bad grade and done everything in your power to make up for it, going to Campus Connection is your next and final step. Why, you might ask? So you can look up when the class is available next. If it is a required course that you just failed, you’re going to have to take it again, so be ahead of your advisor and see if you can squeeze it in next semester.

It’s OK

There is no need to feel like a failure. It happens to the best of us. Do not be too hard on yourself. Do not stare at the grade or continuously calculate what you had to do differently. Try not to obsess and move on. Go celebrate simply surviving a stressful time and try not to think about a failed grade or two.