One week. That’s all that lies between you and reading day. But somehow, packed into the last few days of the semester, is about four months of work you should have already finished. We could give you encouraging tips to help you through a week of fervent studying, paper writing and project building. Tips like block Hulu and Netflix from your computer or get your fair share of sleep to prepare for exams. But who needs practical advice when all you really want is a way to stop thinking about the mountain of work that still lies ahead? Instead, try some of these fun-filled activities to take up your time. They’re based on current events, so at least you’re learning something.
- Campaign manage. When it comes to picking presidential nominees for 2012, the GOP is facing a pretty sad pool of contenders. Though Donald Trump might have momentarily captured your attention when Charlie Sheen briefly took up residence at his hotel this month, Trump is not what presidential dreams are made of. And as fascinating of a train wreck as it would be to watch, a Palin presidency is just not in the cards (we hope). Why not fill the void and come up with other unlikely presidential hopefuls? Jan Brewer is our pick for crazy candidate (but mostly just because we’d love to see how all she “has did” will help her “be-huh-come” president).
- Predict foreign policy. The U.S. is involved in active military operations in three countries right now. With continuing turmoil, it could be only a matter of time until troops are needed in yet another country. Be ahead of the game and guess where we’ll go next. A generally reliable method is to throw darts at maps.
- Get caught up in a fairytale. Or rather, pretend to be excited about Prince William and Kate Middleton’s upcoming nuptials, an event sure to have much more of an impact on the U.K.’s morale than on world affairs — despite a guest list including a despot. The marriage might be a stellar occasion, but it has failed to have a cosmic effect. An MSNBC headline reported “Royal wedding fever hasn't hit space shuttle launch.” Apparently, “NASA officials weren't aware of the coincidence when scheduling the launch.” Come on NASA, everyone else is making an effort to feign excitement — is exploring the universe really more important than seeing Kate’s dress? Really?
- Be a good Samaritan. The end of the semester is the time to find anything to get out of doing your own work — even if that means doing someone else’s. Channel that pent up procrastination to help a friend out with their end-of-semester work. Catch up on the reading they haven’t finished or fill out their study guide for them — heck, learn something about molecular biology. (Yeah, don’t do that.) Encourage them to reciprocate. You might fail your finals, but at least you’ll both be one step closer to summer.
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