Issue 29, Volume 83

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Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Issue 29, Volume 83

The finals stretch Use our tips and tricks to finish the semester out strong. Between finding a new favorite study spot or adding some fresh music to your study playlist, let us help you ace your exams.

Finding hope after failing a class

With finals approaching, some students may be facing the reality of not passing all their classes, but failing a class is not the end of their academic careers. | PG. 7

Locating the best late night coffee spots

Save yourself a few hours searching for a spot in the library and consider venturing to one of Houston’s many nearby coffee shops. | PG. 10

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Oscar Aguilar & Michael Slaten, page editors

finals FInals

Oral finals, one of UH's most unique exams, face changes

i

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Issue staff Closing editors

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i The Honors College hosts a unique final at the University, the oral finals, as part of their required the human situation course sequence. | Michael Slaten/The Cougar

Michael Slaten

Campus Editor @Michaelslaten

The oral finals, part of The Human Situation course inside the Honors College, that have been conducted every fall and spring semester for more than a decade and represent one of the most unique finals at UH are changing.

Instead of a 20-minute one-onone discussion with a discussion professor, the oral finals will now be a panel format. Three students will meet with one professor for a 45-minute oral final.

“We’ve lengthened the exam from 20 minutes to 45 minutes to allow for deeper, more nuanced conversations to unfold,” said Human Situation professor Jesse Rainbow. “The small group format allows us to do that in the available time and creates a socially and intellectually more complex setting that mirrors the work students have been doing during the semester in their discussion classes and in study groups.”

The Human Situation is a 10 credit hour sequence course where students read and discuss a lengthy list of books every semester, such as Shakespeare and John Milton, and the class ends with an oral final. The class has been around for 40 years.

“The oral final is something of a rite of passage among Honors College students, and I think that if you asked any Human Sit

professor, you would find that it is one of the elements of our course that we are most proud of,” said Rainbow, a leader of the college’s omega section.

The class is broken up into two sections of about 250 students each, alpha and omega. Students attend two weekly lectures with their large section. The large sections then break down into small group classes of about 15-20 students for discussion over the current class readings and past lectures with a discussion professor.

Traditionally, the oral finals are a 20-minute discussion with a professor the student did not have class with that semester.

The topics in the oral finals can be wide-ranging based on the student and professor. Generally, most oral finals will discuss every book read in the semester to determine students’ depth of knowledge on each book.

Exploratory studies freshman Eryc Perez said the new panel format could help keep the oral finals moving along, since it isn’t reliant on one student talking for an extended period of time. He said the oral finals are unique, and how much time students dedicated to the course throughout the semester dictates how difficult it will be for them.

“You have to present yourself professionally and be respectful, so this final is actually great practice for job interviews,” Perez

said.

Perez said he is preparing by practicing with other classmates by simulating what a professor might ask them. He said he tries to prepare a summary of each book read in the semester.

The Human Situation course was started in 1977 by Honor College Founding Dean Ted Estess and UH professor Stephen Langfur, Rainbow said. He said he’s made enduring friendships

with students off a 20-minute final.

“Walking across campus, I often run into students whose names and faces are familiar, but I can’t quite remember why,” Rainbow said. “More often than not, when I ask ‘How do we know each other?’ it turns out they had me for an oral final.” editor@thedailycougar.com

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The Human Situation's omega section reading list changes every semester based on input from the couse's professors. | Michael Slaten/The Cougar

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finals FInals

Fortnite, shopping, cleaning: Do something by doing nothing

Oscar Aguilar/The Cougar

Oscar AGUILAR

FEATURES Editor @OAGU_16

Victor Melendez started finals week with the same intentions as everyone else — study hard, ace finals and end the semester on a good note. Like the rest of his peers, however, the biotechnology

freshman succumbed to the bug going around campus: procrastination.

Finals week brings out the creative side of students, as they come up with unique ways to avoid studying.

None are more effective than

Melendez’s methods, such as getting interviewed for this story.

“I usually go to the gym, play Fortnite, hang out with friends and social media,” Melendez said.

Procrastination gets a bad reputation for being unproductive, but Melendez might just be on the right track.

Like any other athlete, Melendez’s Fortnite ability may land him a scholarship.

According to Forbes, some colleges, such as Ashford University, began giving out scholarships for their Fortnite eSports team — some as high as $4,000. If Melendez procrastinates hard enough and UH begins offering a similar award, he might beat students in the library to a full ride.

Lily Ortega, a biology senior, said she procrastinates in a more conventional but equally productive way.

“I clean the house, clean my room, do chores and do things my parents want me to do,” Ortega

said. Although cleaning might not fit every student’s idea of a good time, Ortega embraces the chore over her study sessions.

Similar to Melendez, Ortega found a productive way to fulfill this objective.

But not all students linger on Blackboard waiting for the review to write itself. Miguelangel Ruiz, a communications freshman, said he constantly alternates between his different exams while studying.

“I will never focus on one thing because I try to focus on all of them at the same time,” Ruiz said.

“As I start opening the book, I’ll go like, this is way too long, and I push it aside.”

Few students procrastinate by taking on all of their exams at once. It shows students manage to avoid their responsibilities in every way possible.

Students like Ruiz experience the consequences of taking on too much at a time, such as being less efficient and producing

lower-quality work, while others rejoice when giving into their internal desire for a stress-free life.

Emily Contreras, a psychology junior, said she shops to elude her exam reviews.

“I procrastinate a lot by buying organization stuff so that I can be like, I won’t procrastinate if I have a planner and all these markers,” Contreras said.

In her case, Contreras might be labeled an organized procrastinator. It’s reassuring for some to see students have evolved from the less socially acceptable ways of putting off school work, like binge watching all nine seasons of The Office.

Still, even the best of them fall to unproductive habits. One can only buy so many planners and markers.

“I start shopping for stuff I don’t need, like crafts,” Contreras said. “I’m not a crafty person.” editor@thedailycougar.com

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finals FInals

Man on the street: Students in different schools tackle hard finals OSCAR AGUILAR

fEATURES EDITOR @OAGU_16

Anxiety and panic usually overwhelm students in the final weeks of the semester, as they scramble to finish their reviews and take their exams. All tests aren’t created equal and some exams take a few hours to prepare for, while others demand days of studying.

While some Coogs took a study break, they revealed the root of their sleepless nights.

We spoke to five students regarding their most difficult final.

Although these exams were in different programs, they all had the same challenge on students: time management.

“Philosophy 1321,” said psychology junior Jennifer Castro. “It’s just numerical equations, word problems and trying to find if a certain statement is valid or not.“

“Geology,” said digital media freshman Kelis Woods. “We’re doing solar systems, rivers and climate.”

editor@thedailycougar.com

““It would be my data structures final,” said Alexander Bermudez, a computer science junior.

“I basically have to make programs that deal with setting data in very specific ways.”

“I think it’s bio two,” said Adrian Canizares, a kinesiology sophomore.

“The test is cumulative, so it’s sort of hard to know what to study for.”

“Probably the one for my intro class for communication sciences and disorders,” said Alejandra Martinez, a communication sciences and disorders sophomore. “I have to talk about prevention, different disorders, the autism spectrum disorders, fluency disorders and what causes all that stuff.”

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Congratulations to the Student Housing and Residential Life Student Leaders

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2017-2018 SHRLies Award Recipients Ethic of Care Award Recipient Jasmine Taylor Commitment to Relationship Building Recipient University Lofts RA Team Commitment to Diversity Recipient Hamza Muhammad Commitment to Community Development Recipient Cougar Place Holiday Party Commitment to Student Success Recipient Anna C. Purcell Cougar Spirit Award Recipient Raihan Siddiqi Cub of the Year Recipient Rudy Peña Desk Assistant of the Year Recipient Tiffany Ewere Distinguished Cougar Recipient Troisha Busano Resident Advisor of the Year Recipient Savannah Heistad Tier 1 Customer Service Recipient Asa Jones Faculty-In-Residence Program of the Year Recipient Dr. Erica Jordan Community Mentor of the Year Recipient Ethan Smith Graduate Assistant Appreciation Cassie Butcher & Maggie Gant Hall Council of Member of the Year Recipient Mikayla Canifax Hall Council of the Year Recipient Cougar Place NRHH Member of the Year Recipient Sydney Hoffman NRHH Volunteer of the Year Recipient Sukhnoor Cheema NRHH Unsung Hero Recipient Vanessa Cervantes

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FInals

Q&A: Tips to stay energized during finals mICHAEL sLATEN

cAMPUS EDITOR

@mICHAEL sLATEN

The best way for students to stay energized during long study sessions is by eating fruits, vegetables and proteins, said health and human performance professor Tracy Ledoux.

In an interview with The Cougar, she shared tips on the best ways students can handle their nutrition during finals.

The Cougar: What are some good food and beverage options students should eat to stay fueled during a long study session for finals?

Tracy Ledoux: Some good foods to eat while studying and needing to stay energized for a long period of time, anytime you want to sustain your fullness for a while, you want to make sure you have a nice balance of foods that have a lot of vitamins and minerals. So things like fruits and vegetables, and then also things that are going to keep you full so a little bit a protein, a little bit of fat and probably some fiber.

So, fruits and vegetables with a little bit of whole grain, either some kind of cheese or dairy to add to that will add some protein or fat. Or some kind of meat, like meat in a sandwich or salad.

But a nice balance of vitamins,

Cougar Village Market sells fruits and proteins that health and human performance professor Tracy Ledoux recommends eating. | Michael Slaten/The Cougar

are high in sugar without a lot of protein or fiber to help balance it out will give you that blood sugar

“But in general, you should probably be careful with caffeine. While it will give you a lot of energy in a short burst, you can crash quickly thereafter and that’s counter productive."

you, which means you’re not fully paying attention to your school work.

Minimizing the opportunity to be hungry is probably the best idea for the highest concentration ability.

With that you want to carry snacks, granola bars, piece of fruit (banana is a pretty dense fruit that will fill you up), smoothies, milkshakes, those will fill you up and be kind of quick on the go.

TC: Is it good for students to

exercise when they can during finals?

Ledoux: For sure, exercising gets your blood flowing and gives you energy after the fact. Probably more than anything, it helps you manage your stress levels and helps you stay calm and think clearly.

It certainly helps on the days and weeks you have higher demands placed on you.

TC: Any other tips for students?

Ledoux: Sleep goes hand-in-hand with nutrition and physical activity.

I know finals week is a time of not getting enough sleep, but it’s really important for maintaining your immune function, not getting sick, being able to concentrate and paying attention. editor@thedailycougar.com

Tracy Ledoux, assistant health and human performance professor minerals, protein fiber and that should keep you full and energized for a good while.

TC: What are some food and beverage options students should avoid?

Ledoux: Of course, caffeine is something a lot of students rely on when they are needing to study and focus their attention, maybe not getting so much sleep during the finals week. But in general, you should probably be careful with caffeine. While it will give you a lot of energy in a short burst, you can crash quickly thereafter and that’s counter productive.

Along with that, things that

crash. So you have candy or cake or sweets or something. Yeah, you’ll get really full and give you a burst of energy to start with, it will quickly throw you into a blood sugar crash and make you tired and crabby and really hungry.

TC: A lot of students at this time start missing meals, is that OK? Ledoux: Not a good idea to skip meals, especially if you are trying to concentrate and study.

Because when you’re hungry, you are distracted. When you are hungry, your brain actually will pay more attention to food cues in the environment and food will be more preoccupying and distracting to

Students planning on studying for long periods at a time should avoid high-caffinee, high-sugar beverages and foods, such as coffee and ice cream, said health and human performance professor Tracy Ledoux. | Oscar Aguilar/The Cougar

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FINALS Edition

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Andres Chio, Editor

Finals

Bounce back from a failed class — it's possible Andres Chio

Sports Editor @Chioandres

Finals are again upon us and not everyone is going to finish this semester strong, but that's OK. Failing a class is a time for reevaluation, not panic.

Students that fail need to recognize what went wrong and what was controllable so they can make moves to improve. But for those that need a little help, here are tips and advice to help get back on track to graduating.

The first thing students need to do is retake the course. For grade points purposes, the class counts as a zero until it is retaken, then that zero is averaged with the result of the second try to determine the grade point for the class.

Students need 120 hours of course credit to get a bachelor's degree, so a three-hour class counts for just two and a half percent of the GPA. A single bad class or even a few bad classes will not

tank a GPA and make graduate school an impossibility. But getting it to a 1.5 or a two instead of a zero will make in near negligible.

If not having enough time to study was a problem, consider taking fewer classes next semester.

Maybe the jump from high school or community college to the university level was a bit too steep.

Taking fewer classes next semester to ease the transition might be the answer.

If you do drop below the number of hours needed for UHin4 or for financial aid, it’s can be better to bite the bullet in order to give yourself more time to focus more on fewer classes If the problem was with the professor's style, then you can retake the course with a different professor or go to a tutor who can give you one-on-one time. Also, be sure to take advantage of professors' office hours because they can tweak their teaching to help students in small sessions.

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Many Students must wait until May 11, when grades are due, to see if they passed a course. | Andres Chio / The Cougar

There are also many people on campus — other than professors — who are paid to help students pass classes.

If writing essays is a problem, check out the UH Writing Center either in person or online. The LAUNCH program in Cougar Village I offers tutoring for hundreds

of classes daily, even during the summer.

Of course, the internet has a ton of useful websites like Quizlet, Khan Academy and StudyBlue, to name a few.

Graduating in four years is the ideal situation, especially if you are in the UHin4 plan, but the most

important thing is to graduate — even if it takes a little while longer.

Lastly, remember this is not supposed to be easy. Graduating college is an achievement, and it takes a lot of time and effort to reach this goal. editor@thedailycougar.com

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Andres Chio, Editor

finals

Look at these study resources for last minute help

Not only does Quizlet have 249 million study sets, they focus on different types of learning by offering traditioanl flashcard format or interactive diagrams. | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Morgan Horst

Copy Chief

For those of us who skipped one too many classes, can't read our hastily scribbled lecture notes or just need

some extra help getting the material through our exhausted brains, there are numerous quick and easy resources at our fingertips.

Quizlet, CrashCourse YouTube videos

and Memorize.com are all extra tools that can help struggling students lock down the key concepts they will be tested over in the days to come.

Perhaps the most well-known of the three, Quizlet is an online tool that uses flashcards to help students study. These flashcards can be made by teachers or students can create their own to quiz themselves. The latter is recommended, as the more you write out the questions and answers yourself rather than just reading them the better the concepts will stick, according to Lifehack.org.

If you're on a time crunch, a faster strategy is to search the name of your class and find flashcards created by your fellow students enrolled in the same courses at UH or other universities.

This site has also introduced interactive diagrams complete with definitions, pictures and locations. Students can make these custom diagrams and study them by playing games and doing activities. According to their website, Quizlet has more than 249 million study sets.

Best-selling author of The Fault in Our Stars, John Green, teams up with

his brother Hank to create CrashCourse videos on YouTube. In humorous 10 to 15 minute episodes, these brothers give overviews of subjects from literature, history, science and even psychology.

Their YouTube channel has conveniently organized playlists for each subject, now including computer science, mythology statistics and more.

At Memorize.com, students can study their concepts in three different ways: flashcards, matching and multiple choice questions. The modes have varying levels of difficulty to help students effectively memorize those hard-to-remember definitions and terms.

You can create your own pages or use pre-made interactive learning tools, and badges are awarded while you learn.

Whether you're desperate to find a way to use someone else's notes or you simply want a different way to study for finals this semester, these quick and reliable online tools will ensure you get some last-minute solid information locked in for the dreaded exam day. editor@thedailycougar.com

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FINALS EDITION

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Bethel Biru EDITOR

FINALS

Reward yourself after finals week, you deserve it

EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF

Dana C. Jones MANAGING EDITOR

Jasmine Davis

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Fiona Legesse WEB EDITOR

Anusheh Siddique

FEATURES EDITOR

Oscar Aguilar PHOTO EDITOR

Corbin Ayres OPINION EDITOR

Bethel Biru

CHIEF COPY EDITOR

Morgan Horst SPORTS EDITOR

CAMPUS EDITOR

Andres Chio

Michael Slaten

STAFF EDITORIAL The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Among catching a movie at one of Houston's oldest movie theaters, give yourself something stress-free to look forward to after finals. Not only does this list feature relieving and fun opportunities to further explore Houston, they're cheap to accomodate the budget of a college student. | Bethel Biru/The Cougar

BETHEL BIRU

OPINION EDITOR

@BETHELBIRU

Although spring semester is shorter than the fall, it seems like it’s always more intense and you find yourself working twice as hard and being twice as stressed.

There are more papers to write, studying for exams become more intense, it's your last chance to raise your GPA for the year, and the library becomes your new home for those last two weeks of hell.

With all of this hard work comes a lot of stress, sleep deprivation and mental exhaustion, so it’s only fair to treat yourself to a good time after finals are finally over with, regardless of outcome.

Here are some cool places and events happening in Houston where you can unwind and leave the spring semester behind you.

Sweet tooth Eat some cake, you deserve it. The Dessert Gallery on Westheimer offers an abundance of cakes ranging from colorful unicorn cake to dark chocolate ganache.

The slices are huge and can give you quite a sugar rush, but it’s nothing a cup of coffee from their cafe can’t fix.

Art types If you love art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) is probably not new to you.

They’re free on Thursdays and free on Sundays with a library card and have great collections to look at. They also have a garden right in front of the building filled with statues to look at while you lounge around under the sun.

You can also check out The Menil, a collection of private art pieces which are far more interesting to look at and admission is always free.

song selections that will meet your heart's desire.

If you’re of drinking age, the karaoke bars are BYOB so you can bring your favorite drinks and friends to scream along to over 10,000 choices of English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai songs.

If you’re a hip-hop fan, JMBLYA is back on Sunday,

May 6 at Sam Houston Race Park. Artists such as J. Cole, Migos, Young Thug, Kevin Gates, and Playboi Carti are headliners, with special guests appearances. Tickets might already be sold out, but it won’t be hard to find some for sale on social media. editor@thedailycougar.com

Film buffs The Rocky Horror Picture Show graces Houston only once every month, so mark your calendars down for May 12 at midnight if you want to watch this cult classic come to life at the River Oaks Theater. If it’s your first time, you’re in for a treat and will be getting a little surprise from the cast right before the show.

GUEST COMMENTARY Submissions are accepted from any member of the UH community and must be signed with the author’s name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Commentary should be limited to 500 words. Guest commentaries should not be written as replies, but rather should present independent points of view. Deliver submissions to N221, University Center; e-mail them to letters@ thedailycougar.com; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.

ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements in The Cougar do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the University or the students as a whole.

Music nerd What better way to end finals than by screaming out the words to your favorite song? Bellaire, Houston's Chinatown, is filled with great food, drinks and karaoke bars with thousands of

The Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 words and signed, including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major.

Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to N221, University Center; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax to (713) 743-5384. Letters are subject to editing.

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Playboi Carti set to perform at Sam Houston Racepark alongside fellow headliners J. Cole and Yung Thug, on May 6 | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

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Bethel Biru, Editor

finals

Houston's best study-friendly late-night coffee spots

Located just 7 minutes from UH, Retrospect Coffee Bar offers abundant seating, unique snacks and a full espresso menu. | Corbin Ayres/The Cougar

Jasmine davis

Next to midterms, finals week is one of the best opportunities to find the coffee house that satisfies your study and caffeine — and maybe alcohol — needs. But overpopulated, on-campus hangouts like The Nook, Cougar Grounds and Starbucks don't always provide environments conducive to studying for exams. | Corbin Ayres/The Cougar

Congratulations, Class of 2018!

The University of Houston-Victoria congratulates you on your graduation from the University of Houston.

UHV offers face-to-face master’s degree programs in both Katy and Victoria, and online classes that you can take from anywhere. Our affordable degree options can help you get ahead in your career and in your life.

V I CT ORI A • KA TY • ON LIN E

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4/27/2018 3:35:56 PM

managing editor @jpaigedavis

10 minutes

Agora

While the MD Anderson Library transitions to a 24-hour schedule for finals week, sometimes the best study sessions require coffee and a change of scenery.

Houston is packed with great coffee shops, and some of the best the city has to offer are less than 10 miles from UH. The Nook may be the closest crowd favorite, but finals week is the perfect time to venture out and explore new menus.

Here are five nearby coffee houses open until at least 10 p.m. to satisfy your caffeine needs.

If you've been at UH for more than one semester, you have probably been to — or know of — Agora.

Open until 2 a.m. daily, the two-story Greek-themed coffee house is one of Houston's most popular spots for a late-night caffeine fix and boasts a full espresso menu and abundant seating, but get there early because those tables go fast.

Location: 1712 Westheimer Rd. Houston, TX 77098 Distance from UH: 6.3 miles or 12 minutes

Retrospect Coffee Bar

Black Hole is outfitted with both indoor and outdoor seating, including couches, armchairs and tables, and a full service kitchen. So, if you're looking for a comfortable shop where you can relax with a good meal, look no further. Black Hole is open until midnight daily, but get there early because weekend seating goes fast.

Location: 4504 Graustark St. Houston, TX 77006 Distance from UH: 3.3 miles or 13 minutes

If you prefer outdoor seating, Retrospect is the spot for you. This coffee bar packs good food and an even better cappuccino, with abundant shaded outdoor seating to host your all-day cram sessions.

Retrospect is open until 8 p.m.

Sunday - Tuesday and until 10 p.m.

Wednesday - Saturday.

Location: 3709 La Branch St. Houston, TX 77004 Distance from UH: 2.1 miles or 7 minutes

Antidote Coffee So, maybe you're at the point in finals week when a glass of wine or pint of beer might better serve you than a drip coffee — fear not, because Antidote has you covered.

Open until midnight daily, Antidote serves up a selection of beer, wine and espresso drinks, including the crowd-favorite cajeta latte.

Location: 729 Studewood St. Houston, TX 77007 Distance from UH: 6.3 miles or

Black Hole Coffee House

Inversion Coffee & Art Described on the business' website as a place where coffee, art and community meet, Inversion has been a staple in Houston's coffee scene for more than 10 years. Come for the coffee, but stay for the local art.

Inversion is open until 10 p.m. daily.

Location: 1953 Montrose Blvd.

Suite A Houston, TX 77006 Distance from UH: 4 miles or 16 minutes editor@thedailycougar.com

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FINALS EDITION

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Bethel Biru, EDITOR

FINALS

Playlist: Just what you need to motivate exam study sessions DANA C. JONES

EDITOR IN CHIEF @DANACJONES_

You made it to the end of another year of college, and now you are faced with the gauntlet of tests and presentations.

To help you get through those tedious objectives, here is a playlist to both inspire you to not procrastinate — because we know you are — and to get you hyped to take on those tests and head into summer.

The Space Program-A Tribe Called Quest.

Paramedic! - SOB X RB

Bicken Head-Cardi B

Icon -Jaden Smith

Ascencsion-Gorillaz ft. Vince Staples

Bad Bad News -Leon Bridges

Make Her Say -Kid Cudi Ft. Kanye West and Common

Burn the Witch -Radiohead

The Space Program - A Tribe Called Quest After 18 years, this song is the intro on the latest album from one of the most influential hiphop groups, A Tribe Called Quest.

With smooth production from leader Q-Tip, the chorus kicks off with the idea of getting it together, which is just what you need to start studying.

Ascension - Gorillaz ft.

Vince Staples Gorillaz, another group approaching legendary status, released Humanz seven years after their last project. Featuring Long Beach rapper, Vince Staples, “Ascension” merges techno and hip-hop to make something extremely jarring.

Paramedic! - SOB X RBE Marvel’s Black Panther was accommodated with an album orchestrated by Top Dog Entertainment’s Kendrick Lamar. The song “Paramedic!” in particular is lead by the Vallejo, California rap group SOB X RBE. Their northern California accents and aggressive flows over the hard-knocking beat will get anyone ready for an exam.

Bad Bad News - Leon Bridges Ft. Worth-native Leon Bridges makes music as if he’s in the '60s, giving the Dallas area a few cool points. The namesake lyric in the song is working with what you have and overcoming, just the sentiment to end the year.

Bickenhead - Cardi B When Cardi B’s album came out, it surprised everyone with how good it was. One of the standout singles is “Bickenhead.” This highly southern-influenced sound will make you move.

Man On The Moon: The End Of Day - Kid Cudi ft. Kanye West & Common A classic of the children of the

late '90s, Kid Cudi created a moment in time with fellow G.O.O.D. Music label mates with a chopped up Lady Gaga sample.

Burn the Witch – Radiohead Continuing with the theme of legends, Radiohead released A Moon Shaped Pool with “Burn the Witch” as the intro. It has a continuous smooth build that will get you through that final push of your cram session.

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Icon - Jaden Smith Jaden Smith is making a name for himself in the rap game following his father’s footsteps. His single "Icon" starts with harpy-like chanting followed by crashing 808s and a thumping bass.

Chanting that you’re an icon after a test can only make you more confident. editor@thedailycougar.com

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12 | Wednesday, May 2, 2018

finals edition thedailycougar.com/opinion 

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Bethel Biru, Editor

Staff Editorial

Finals before reading day contribute to stress, poor grades ??

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Professors that stack up their finals on reading day or during the last week of class are under the lofty misconception that students are capable of juggling papers, projects, finals and attending lectures without tossing a somewhat normal sleep cycle out the window.

Finals season comes with its accompanying bouts of anxiety and misery. While these exams take a toll on our morale and hope in our professional futures, the trend of several finals coinciding during one of the most important weeks of school is an unnecessary obstacle, and violation of University policy, that hinders the mental health and academic success of UH students.

The last week of class is hectic for everyone on campus for reasons ranging from organization banquets, to final projects to hail marry attempts at rescuing grades.

Bearing this hefty load towards the tail end of the semester is stressful enough without cramming in finals that often determine your grade in the class.

Most students take 12-15 credit hours a semester, which usually translates to four or five exams during the most stressful time of the year. UH's procedure for

HOUSTON

scheduling finals attempts to prevent this from being such an emotionally and physically taxing time for students by pushing for finals to occur during a University-designated period based on a section's normal meeting time.

This would be a phenomenal solution if not for the frequency of some tenured professors to hold exams earlier than scheduled as a result of poor enforcement of this policy.

Pulling all-nighters, skipping meals to study and suffering from extreme anxiety seem to be the coping methods our generation has adopted to fight this easily solvable problem.

It is insane to force that substantial of a burden on students in such a preoccupied time. Perhaps that's why the University tries to prevent them from scheduling exams early.

But it isn't all professors. Most are very considerate of their student's time and efforts to end the semester on a positive note, and their scheduling reflects that.

It is only a small, often tenured group of instructors that decide to waive the responsibility to prioritize student learning and success in favor of a semester that is shorter by only a few days.

Finals would be a more surmountable challenge if they came at a time where we could

focus on just them — aka the dedicated week and a half for final exams. It makes more sense to leave final exams to a time when classes and other grades are no longer a concern.

I'm not asking for entire weeks, or even days, devoted to studying for just one final, but rather a more balanced distribution of responsibilities.

It doesn't make sense to jump into testing during the last week of class when those remaining meetings could better be used reviewing the material. Sure, these immediate test dates strike when new information is freshest in our minds, but also when students are under the greatest stress.

The added burden of an early final sabotages our test grades, and all of this could easily be solved with the up to two week delay on tests that we're supposed to have anyway, during the designated period.

These jam-packed last weeks of class leave students inundated with every possible emotion.

The transition from the end of class to finals is cruel and abrupt under the current schedules of many professors, and these early exams come at the expense of our mental health and final grades. editor@thedailycougar.com