One of the worst weeks of the semester is finals week. Whether it’s from copious amounts of late-night studying for exams that seem longer than the constitution or from last-minute editing for a project, it’s usually an overall terrible experience.
The second worst week is packing up your dorm as the year ends and it’s time to move back home or to your new apartment. The move is time-consuming, it’s taxing and it really makes me wish magic was real so I could wave my wand and be done with the tedious process.
Instead of providing a buffer week where students can rest and catch their breath after holding it in hope during the week of finals, Wichita State combined the two worst weeks of the year into one.
Finals this year are held from May 12-16 and according to Housing and Residence, students must be fully out of the dorms by noon on May 16.
Instead of providing a buffer week where students can rest and catch their breath, Wichita State combined the two worst weeks of the year into one.
It’s outrageous that WSU is requiring students to balance moving out while preparing for the final push to achieve a good grade in their classes. This isn’t some discussion question — it could be the difference between passing or having to retake the class again, therefore potentially causing more of a financial burden on the student.
If a student wishes to stay past the move-out deadline, not only do they run the risk of being denied based on their application, they will be charged a flat rate of $30 per night, and only up to four nights. I understand contracts are a thing, but immediately charging a student more — in addition to the thousands we students already pay — to live in their dorm for a few extra nights is absurd, especially if it’s for something university related, such as a final.
Final test days can also be whenever and not necessarily on the original day of the class. Math finals, from personal experience and from Shockers around me, are held on a Saturday, which is a prime packing day. It makes it hard to schedule when you plan to move, especially if you have other finals on different days of the week.
Finals may not take all day to complete, but the mental strain of studying, taking the test and then the anxiety make it hard to focus afterward.
Shockers who live out of state should also be taken into heavier consideration when picking a kick-out date. I’m lucky enough to live under an hour away, but many of my friends aren’t It’s difficult to pack and move on your own, and even more difficult for parents to take off work to come help their children move.
My mom and I had to debate for 30 minutes when it would be optimal for her to come help due to our conflicting schedules. Asking other friends is most likely off the table for most students as they’re fighting their own finals and moving battles.
It’s really bad timing all around.
I understand WSU wants to give its staff an easier time with less students, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of other people.
This whole fiasco could be easily avoided if the deadline to move out was pushed back. Even if it were backed up to the Monday after finals, it would be much easier on students if they had the weekend after finals to pack. It’s a simple solution that still allows the dorms to be vacated in a timely manner.
Students shouldn’t have to pack their suitcases while also pouring over notes from the semester.
I encourage WSU to be more mindful to make this busy time less stressful for its students.
