Make the most of Reading Days with these 4 tips
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 21, 2025) — Not many components of university life are as anxiety-inducing as final exams. Final exams draw upon knowledge from the entire semester and often students are taking more than one at a time.
To help manage exam stress, the University of Kentucky has recently built Reading Days into the academic calendar. During these days, no written examinations, quizzes, papers or presentation deadlines may be given.
This year’s Reading Days are May 1-2.
Reading Days, and the week before finals, are a great time to get prepared — but those few days can go by very quickly. Here are four tips on how to maximize the time.
- Create an action plan. Students should read their course syllabi to get a better understanding of what exactly is required for final assessment in each class. Is there a final paper? How long must it be? What kind of outside research does this paper require? Is there an in-class presentation about the paper? Is there a final exam? Is it cumulative? Is there a study guide? Transformative Learning can help answer these questions with resources like the 3:1 Support Plan.
- Find a suitable study space. UK has a number of libraries and study spaces available to its students. Whether it’s a Starbucks on campus, a private room in a classroom building or an open study space at either of The Study’s locations, UK has something for everyone. For information on study spaces and hours of operation, click here.
- Utilize available resources. UK offers a collection of tutoring resources across campus and disciplines. Click here for a full list.
- Exercise self care. As tempting as it is to indulge in late night snacks to deal with stress, opt for healthier choices. UK Dining has many healthy options available. Exercise is also a great stress reliever. Reading Days are the perfect time to visit a Campus Recreation and Wellness facility. Additionally, while pulling all-nighters may seem tempting, it is always important to get enough sleep.
The Fall 2025 final exams schedule can be found here. For additional resources geared toward student success, follow this link.
At the University of Kentucky, students are at the center of all that we do. From the moment you become a Wildcat through graduation and beyond, the Office for Student Success is committed to supporting you. Comprised of five areas and 25 units, together, they have one vision — to help students live a life of meaning. Student Success works through an equitable, holistic and inclusive lens to design and deliver unparalleled services and support a diverse community of learners in achieving their wildest ambitions. In the Office for Student Success this is what we do — this is who we are. You can explore resources available to you here. If you have additional questions, you can reach a Student Success team member by calling the helpline 859-218-YouK (9685).