Make This Finals Season a Great One

Caroline Sandkamp

Northrop Auditorium

Northrop Auditorium has a wide variety of seating options for studying! Study spaces on each floor are a great place to meet up with a study group to develop a school project. Additionally, individual tables line the second floor—overlooking the highceilings, beautiful architecture and windows to view the mall. On the west side of the main floor lives Surdyk’s Cafe. This lively cafe has great coffee to keep you energized, as well as delicious food! This space seats up to 60 people, with many tables and outlets—great for long study sessions.

Goldy’s Gameroom

Most gophers know Goldy’s Gameroom as a prime spot for bowling, games, and great times! But Goldy’s Gameroom is also a fantastic spot to study. If you find a library setting too quiet or formal, Goldy’s Gameroom could be a great spot to try out. From the sound of bowling pins toppling over, happy chatter among friends and upbeat music playing over the speakers, Goldy’s Gameroom has an energetic vibe with great background noise to keep you pumped up and focused on your work. If you get hungry while studying, the bowling alley’s kitchen provides great food and snack options! And hey—you can always give your brain a break from studying by playing a quick game of bowling, either solo or with a study buddy.

The Toaster

You’re likely familiar with Walter Library’s upstairs study spaces, but did you know that just downstairs, past the Wise Owl cafe lives a multidisciplinary space for innovative thinking, collaboration, studying and more? The Toaster has a variety of study spaces for student use! Designated drop-in spaces are available on a first come, first seated basis. Additionally, small group spaces are the perfect spot to host a study group session! By joining the “toaster community,” you will receive special access to group meeting and event spaces! Want more ideas for study spaces on campus? Use the University of Minnesota’s online “Study Space Finder” at studyspace.umn.edu

SMART Peer Tutors

If you’re looking for tutoring in your classes, the SMART Learning Commons has peer tutors for support in over 250 subject areas. This program comes at no extra cost for undergraduate students currently enrolled at the university. These services are offered at a variety of locations across all of the UMN Twin Cities campuses: Walter Library (East Bank, Minneapolis Campus), Wilson Library (West Bank, Minneapolis Campus), Magrath Library (St. Paul Campus) and Bailey Hall (St. Paul Campus). Additionally, students can schedule individual appointments online or join an online drop-in session! This is an invaluable resource available to students! The program found that “9 out of 10 students leave a peer tutoring session feeling more confident in their class.”

Student Counseling Services

Struggling with procrastination, lack of motivation, perfectionism, test anxiety, lack of interest or struggles with a Professors or TA? The Student Counseling Services (SCS) offers support for students who are struggling with non-skill based factors that are impacting their performance academically. The Student Academic Success Services are a great resource for coaching on study skills, reading and notetaking strategies, test preparation, time management, stress management and test anxiety. To set up an appointment with an Academic Skills Coach at SASS, visit their website at counseling.umn.edu. It’s important to note that there is currently a 3-4 week wait for consultations, so be sure to plan ahead if you’re looking to receive counseling prior to finals exams!

Student Writing Support

Working on a writing project during finals week? The Student Writing Support center offers walk-in consultations at 15 Nicholson Hall, as well as virtual appointments! These services are available for all university students, no matter graduate or undergraduate. The writing center offers individualized writing consultations to help students build confidence as well as writing skills and strategies. The center’s consultants assist by listening to your goals, reading and providing feedback on written projects and asking clarifying questions to help you articulate your great ideas. Whether you have yet to start your writing assignment, have hit writer’s block or are making final edits, the Student Writing Support Center can help you reach your writing goals!

Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing

The University of Minnesota’s Center for Spirituality & Healing hosts Mindful Monday drop-in sessions from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. CST. These sessions offer students an opportunity to engage in guided meditation, where experienced instructors will guide you through various exercises to help you relieve stress and feel rejuvenated! No prior experience is necessary to take part. The center also shares monthly webinars covering a variety of health and wellbeing related topics.

Below are stress relief resources available on campus

Boynton Health Stress Check-ins

Boynton Health offers remote De-stress Check-ins held over Zoom. These check-ins are an opportunity to talk through stresses in your life, brainstorm solutions and get connected with additional campus resources. These consultations are free, confidential and open to both undergraduate and graduate students! Visit boynton.umn.edu/ de-stress for more information or to schedule your appointment.