Hello Hawkeyes!!!

Winter Break just started, but let’s talk about my finals week!!!

Knowing that your final week of the semester doesn’t involve any finals is a strange feeling. For most college students, “finals week” brings to mind stressful study sessions, late nights in the library, and last-minute cramming. But for me, this semester’s finals week looked a little different. Instead of racing against the clock to prepare for exams, I spent my week working, cleaning, and packing up my life in preparation for the next chapter—moving out of my double dorm room and into a single next semester at the University of Iowa.

It was honestly a mix of emotions: part relief, part nostalgia, and part pure exhaustion. I never imagined spending my “finals week” doing anything other than stressing over exams. But life had other plans, and I ended up embracing the opportunity to take a breather from the usual hustle. I technically had all my finals the week before with 5 papers! but it sure was nice to be done

When you live in a dorm, it’s easy for things to pile up. Papers, clothes, random food wrappers, and who knows what else can start to accumulate, taking over your living space. So, with a rare break in the academic schedule, I decided to start fresh and give my room the deep clean it desperately needed.

I spent hours sorting through clothes I hadn’t worn all semester, papers I no longer needed, and old snacks I had forgotten about. It was a tedious process, but also oddly satisfying. I went through every drawer, closet, and shelf, wiping down surfaces and tossing out the clutter. It felt like a mini-life cleanse. And, let’s be honest, the before-and-after transformation of a clean dorm room is always worth the effort.

The next big task was packing up my belongings from my double dorm room. For the past few months, I had shared a room with a roommate, and while it was a great experience, I was more than ready for a change. I had been accepted into a single for the next semester, and the thought of having a whole room to myself was incredibly exciting.

The move was a bit more involved than I had initially anticipated. It turns out that even a seemingly simple dorm room can hold a lot of stuff when you’re not paying attention. Clothes, random decor, and all the little things I’d accumulated over the semester seemed to multiply as I packed them into boxes and bins.

But even though it was a lot of work, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Packing up and moving out gave me the chance to reflect on how far I had come in the semester—and how much I had learned, both academically and personally.

I’m genuinely looking forward to moving into my single next semester. Having my own space will be a game-changer. No more negotiating over schedules or waking up to the sound of someone else’s alarm. It’ll be my space to organize, relax, and focus without distractions. But for anyone with a roommate, it can be magical!

But as I packed up my things, I also found myself reflecting on the time I spent with my roommate. We’d shared a lot of laughs, late-night chats, and even the occasional frustration. We’d both learned how to navigate dorm life together and while I was excited for the privacy of a single, I knew I’d miss the little moments that came with sharing a space with someone else.

Even though I didn’t have finals, my “finals week” still felt like a time of closure. It was a time to wrap up the chapter of living in a double and get ready for the next phase of dorm life in a single. And while I’m sure next semester will come with its own challenges and adjustments, I’m excited for what lies ahead. Looking back on this strange, finals-free week, I realize that it wasn’t just about cleaning and packing—it was also about recharging. The semester had been a whirlwind, full of its ups and downs, and having this unexpected break gave me the time I needed to reset before the next one.

So, here’s to new beginnings, personal space, and making the most of the time we have, no matter how unexpected the circumstances may be.