MSU December graduates

The myriad of opportunities that are currently available for students at universities are impacting their graduation timeline. Students are no longer graduating in the “typical” four years. While many students have the opportunity to graduate early, others are graduating a semester late.

Internships, study abroad programs, and major changes may require students to reconfigure their graduation and take an extra semester of school in order to fulfill their credit requirements. On the other hand, summer courses, heavy course loads, and early job offers generate the idea of graduating a semester early.

Regardless of how long it takes to earn a degree, fall graduates are on the rise. According to MSU Office of the Registrar, in the spring of 2007, 1,179 bachelor degrees were awarded to students, about one third of the 3,552 degrees granted in 2009. A common misconception among students is that graduating in the fall decreases their chances of getting a job afterward.

“There is a myth out there that spring grads have a greater opportunity,” said Vern Mason, senior associate director at the Lear Career Center. “The students professional development and preparedness takes care of that belief; if you’ve done diligence in your preparation the December graduation does not have the perception of being penalized.”

According to Mason, an extra semester on top of the standard 4 years of undergraduate studies may even appear more attractive to employers. It implies more practical experience, and is an indication that students have a stronger academic standing. Mason said the exchange of a less formal commencement ceremony in the fall for a more appealing resume definitely has its benefits.

“Companies and organizations do hire year round,” Mason said. “A fall graduation is certainly not frowned upon by companies. What they want is an indication that students know what to expect, and that is shown through their academic career and practical experience.”

Retailing senior, Taylor Young, graduated a semester early in December 2010.

“I was lucky enough to get a job opportunity that I could not pass up,” said Young. “I am excited to be moving on to the next stage of my life but will miss all the people I have met at MSU.”

In order to solidify her graduation date, Young took summer classes and did an internship during the summer. In January she kick-started her career with a position as a sales representative for apparel and footwear companies Billabong, Element, and Sanuk.

A fall graduation is becoming more common at other universities other than Michigan State. The University of Texas’ Office of Relationship Management and University Events reports that the university had about 2,400 undergraduates earn a degree in December.

Lynne Levinson, Assistant Director at the Sanger Learning and Carreer Center of the University of Texas said, “When people are done they’re done, and they don’t want to stick around another semester and pay for unnecessary classes.” Levinson also said that students could have come into college with dual-credits that were obtained in high school, or had advance placement.

“The option of graduating in the fall is customized per student. Ask yourself what you have done to make yourself more marketable,” said Levinson. “That is one of the big messages to employers, often times your degree isn’t the whole picture.”

It is dark. The day has finally slipped away, and an eerie silence has fallen over campus. Outside, life has become deathly still apart from several solo travelers hurrying beneath the glow of the streetlamps. Two girls sit awake in a room. As the clock’s neon numbers flash midnight, the girl on the futon raises her head to say, “It’s starting.” Suddenly a shrill scream rips through the silence, followed by a chorus of shouts, yells and moans. Could this be the thrilling introduction to a terrifying cinematic masterpiece or simply the night of exam week for 46,000 students at Michigan State University?

As December rolls around, college students, young and old, experience the mad rush of fall semester finals. The library becomes the new hot spot and coffee is the drink of choice as students buckle down and forsake sleep for grade point averages. At MSU, exam week means a level of stress so high that it can only be released in the form of an ear-splitting scream.

The Midnight Scream is a study tradition that is quite unconventional. Although its origin is unknown, students have observed this nightly ritual for years. The tradition begins Sunday at midnight, the night of the first exam, continuing through to the end of the week.

In order to scream properly, a student must follow several steps. The first stage is to add an unhealthy amount of caffeine to the bloodstream, making screaming a plausible option for stress relief. Sugary soft drinks plus strong coffee equal one late night. The next step is to choose a prime location from which to scream. Freshman media arts major Michael Daniels saw people all over in the Brody Complex. “At twelve, I could see people in more than just the doors and their rooms but also in the stairwells and lobbies,” he said. Once a student has picked his or her location, there is only one thing left to do: scream.

Students approached the scream in various ways. The Yakeley dorm seemed to reach a high decibel, and the circular shape of Brody Complex only amplified the screams. Some preferred a short and sweet shout, while others favored lengthy conversations, cursing the very existence of exam week. “Two doors down, a kid was blasting ‘Poker Face,’ […] and we could see one room in the hall across from us flashing their lights like a strobe light,” said Alyssa Simpson, a freshman journalism major living in Case Hall.

For freshmen, fall finals are foreign territory. With the new stresses of college courses and an indecent amount of homework, this week can be one of the most difficult. “I would describe exams as stressful and frustrating,” freshman education major Julia McLean said. “Because as a freshman, it was hard to anticipate what to expect from my exams.” She said that she studied an average of eight to nine hours each day in preparation for her exams.

Luckily, finding this new level of stress was balanced out by an opportunity to release every pent up emotion. Simpson described the scream as “exhilarating, relieving and obnoxious.”

“[It was] louder than I thought it would be,” freshman media arts major Joshua Michels said. The Midnight Scream had its own Facebook event, inviting people from all over State’s campus to join in.

However, Facebook events were not always so widely used. Not every senior had the luxury of knowing about the Midnight Scream as a freshman. “I will never forget it,” music senior Melissa Butman said. “I was sitting at my desk on the very first night, and all of a sudden people started yelling and screaming at midnight. I really had no idea what was going on.” Many of the seniors only heard about the Midnight Scream after a startling first exam night as freshmen.

After three years of practice, the seniors have finally gotten the hang of college life. All day study sessions and all night cramming are no longer an abnormal part of college life. “The day before, I spent all day studying for the two exams that I had,” Butman said, making a ten hour study session seem like a walk in the park.

Despite the gap between freshmen and seniors of age and experience, exams require hours of study no matter what stage of college a student is at. The Midnight Scream serves as a unifying event for State’s student body. Daniels said, “When a lot of people participate in something like this […], it is good to have the feeling that you are not alone and that others are doing the same thing you are.” Through this simple experience, students from freshmen to fifth year share the feeling of stress, along with a gratifying release.

More than a silly diversion from studying, the Midnight Scream may be a healthy stress reliever for fall exams. According to the online medical information site WebMD, one of the best ways to relieve stress is to “let out your feelings.” The site said to, “Talk, laugh, cry and express anger when you need to.” Simpson seconded this opinion. “I [felt] a lot better!” she said. “Now that I got it out of my system, I could focus more, and I felt ready to concentrate.”

In the stress of exam week, it is important to remember a little balance. By doing something a little crazy and setting aside our academics for just a moment, students of every age have the opportunity to connect over a common experience. It fulfills our need for enjoyment on a basic level, and best of all, as Daniels puts it, “a minute of acting like a caveman never hurt anybody.”