In 1987, W. H. Gmelch conducted a study on faculty stress. One finding was that student stress contributes to faculty stress. While faculty stress is fed by several factors, it may be that helping students reduce their stress would be one way to reduce faculty stress. Helping students get rid of some of their tension does not have to be a major undertaking. It could be as simple as having a conversation with students before class begins.
Misery can get a little relief from knowing it has company.
Other ideas for interruping the season of doldrums are in the sidebar at the end of this article. As we know, the ending of a semester is often marked by insufficient sleep and the reality of being overwhelmed with deadlines for papers and tests or grading. The authors are concerned in this chapter with students' misuse of time, their misguided study habits, and their test anxiety. Using the Rhythms Perhaps the biggest benefit to recognizing the rhythms of the semester is that instructors may design productive ways to use the emotional ups and downs or ways to modify their impact. Unusual or unexpected activities during the stretch of doldrums will energize a class.