As the academic year comes to an end, final exams begin – which is a major source of stress for most students.
That’s why U of T Engineering’s First Year Office staff organized the Faculty’s first-ever Exam Jam on April 16. The event was aimed at preparing students before the deluge of exams, while also helping them fight the inevitable stress.
“We were impressed with the similar Arts & Science event, so we decided to translate it into an Engineering-specific, one-day event. Ours would necessarily be on a smaller scale, but we tried to keep the same spirit of balance between academic review, fun and stress relief,” said Colleen Kelly, Acting Assistant Registrar, First Year.
Students were primarily drawn to the Exam Jam for review sessions held by several professors of large first-year courses, but there were a range of other activities offered. Hart House generously provided free, ten-minute massages to students throughout the day, and the MoveU crew brought giant jenga and stressball-making to the ‘Pit’ in the Sandford Fleming building.
Healthy snacks were also provided, and students were encouraged to get creative at the ‘Crafts with Colleen’ booth. The Academic Success Centre also contributed to the event by holding a seminar on effective study skills.
The highlight of the Exam Jam for many was visiting with Maggie May and Albert, therapy dogs from Therapeutic Paws of Canada, who helped students to de-stress in the afternoon.
Reaction to the event was overwhelmingly positive. TrackOne student Albertina Baosaid, “I think it’s a good mix of relaxing, socializing and review – I like it.” With the success of the inaugural event, plans are in the works to make the Engineering Exam Jam a regular exam-time occurrence.
