Dead week is supposed to be just that, dead. It is a time for reviews, relaxation and debauchery. It can also be a time to cram an entire semester’s workload into a handful of days. Dead week was made for the procrastinators as a way to give them a shot at passing their classes.

However, every year a few professors either finish their lesson plans early or decide to make life “easier” on their students by holding their finals during dead week. Making it not really “dead week” at all.

This circumstance brings up an interesting question: Would we rather have a dead week or a summer break that is longer by an extra week?

Both sides have valid points. On one hand, you have students who are trying to concentrate on final papers or projects in other classes who have to divert their attention on a final exam being given during a time it is usually not given. Alternatively, taking final exams can be viewed like ripping a bandage off of a hairy appendage. It should be done in one swift motion. Getting finals finished early only makes for more time for barbecues, drinking and everything else sinful that summer stands for.

Finals need to be held during finals week. If teachers cannot fill the classes with enough learning material to last until finals, then there should be fewer classes in the semester or just review sessions until the exam date. It’s understandable that teachers are as upset about having to grade the finals as we have to take them, but that is no excuse to inconvenience us when we are trying to handle all the other loose ends from our classes. The opinion desk can be reached at [email protected]