Caps, gowns and deadlines: striving through the end of the semester

By Zachary Irish, Ed.D., dean of students, and Ashley Noyes, assistant dean of students

As graduation and the home stretch of the semester approach, students find themselves balancing the excitement of caps and gowns with the pressure of final deadlines, making the last weeks of the semester both thrilling and overwhelming. This is a gentle reminder that the finish line is in sight, and it’s important to celebrate their accomplishments throughout the past year. 

Campus resources

  • Life and Career Design Institute – Wheaton’s LCDI is a fantastic resource to start planning and exploring what life after college will look like. Encourage your students to participate in some life-ready labs, centered around skills for the future, or meet with a career navigator to boost their résumé, look for internships and discuss potential career pathways.
  • Communicating with faculty – If students are struggling with academic content, final deadlines or having issues with final projects, encourage them to talk to their professors. Faculty want to see students succeed, and keeping lines of communication open is critical.
     
  • A network of student support staff is available to help your student. If you have questions, please contact the Dean of Students Office at [email protected]. 

Commencement

The ceremony to celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2026 is scheduled for Saturday, May 16. If you have any questions related to Commencement, please review our FAQs on the Commencement webpage.

Personal self-care

The feeling of stress, especially when facing multiple deadlines, can cause students to ignore their self-care. We normally see behaviors such as pulling all-nighters to cram for exams and skipping meals. We encourage families to be vigilant with their students and check in to make sure they are doing ok. Small, actionable self-care skills can include: 

  • Getting outside for a walk
  • Blocking out calendars for study time and leisure time
  • Fulfilling basic needs (eating, sleeping enough, hydrating, etc.) 
  • Taking breaks and spending time with friends 

Encourage your student to reflect on their accomplishments and prioritize self-care in the final weeks of the semester. 

Engagement opportunities

There is a lot of end-of-the-semester programming taking place in the residence halls and around campus. In addition to the smaller programs sponsored by the resident advisors and clubs around campus, there are several other events that we encourage your student to attend. 

Spring Weekend is an annual tradition with community-wide programs sponsored by the student-led Wheaton Events Board. The weekend kicks off with the Head of the Peacock Regatta on Friday afternoon, and other events include Acapalooza, Retro Night and Wheaton Woodstock! 

Dance performances, jams and concerts, and sporting events fill the calendar for most of April and early May.  Encourage your student to cheer on their peers as they perform on the stage, court or field! 

Moonlight Brunch is a particularly popular event where staff and faculty serve students breakfast, held each semester on the night before the last day of classes. It is a great community-building event to ease stress before finals. 

For our graduating students, Senior Week will be an opportunity to wrap up their journey of the last four years and celebrate with their peers before they cross that stage into the next chapter of their lives. 

It can be a stressful time of year to get things wrapped up, especially as the weather improves, but encourage your student to balance their responsibilities with taking time to celebrate their accomplishments. Regardless of what year your student is, encourage them to step out of their comfort zone and have fun at these college-sponsored events throughout the final weeks of the semester. They can view upcoming programs at https://engage.wheatoncollege.edu/ and https://wheatoncollegelyons.com/.  

Congratulations to the Class of 2026 and their families! We look forward to celebrating with you at Commencement on May 16.   

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