Every semester ends the same way: everything, all at once.
You’ve got final papers, presentations and exams stacked close together. Deadlines that felt far away are suddenly right in front of you. And even if you’ve been keeping up, this stretch can feel like a lot. A whole lot.
From where I sit as a professor, I see how hard you’re working right now. I also know this part of the semester asks more from you than almost any other.
This semester, I kept coming back to Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. Not because your finals week looks like a space mission, but because the story understands what it feels like to carry a lot of responsibility under pressure.
“I am scary space monster. You are leaky space blob.”
At first, Grace and Rocky don’t understand each other at all.
Different language. Different background. No shared system.
But they figure it out because they have to. They talk, test ideas and slowly build understanding together.
You’re not meant to figure everything out on your own either.
When you’re stuck on something—an idea, a concept, a problem—it can feel like you just need more time alone with it. But a lot of the time, what actually helps is saying it out loud. Talking through it with someone else. Hearing how someone else is approaching it.
Grace captures that feeling of uncertainty at one point:
“I don’t know what I’m doing. I just know I have to do something.”
That’s closer to real learning than having everything neatly figured out.
What to keep in mind:
If you’re stuck, bring someone else into it. You’ll often move forward faster than you expect.
“You sleep. I watch.”
At some point, you might start trading sleep for more time.
It makes sense. There’s a lot to do, and it can feel like the only way to keep up is to stay up longer.
But you’ve probably noticed what happens after a certain point. You read the same thing twice. You make small mistakes you normally wouldn’t. You feel less focused, even though you’re putting in more time.
That’s not about effort. It’s about limits.
Even Grace—who is literally trying to save humanity—has to stop and rest because pushing through stops working.
What to keep in mind:
You’ll get more out of your work if you’re rested enough to think clearly.
“You solve one problem, then the next, then the next”
This part of the semester doesn’t slow down.
You finish one assignment, and the next one is already waiting. It can feel like there’s no real break until everything is done.
In the novel, Grace puts it simply at one point:
“You solve one problem, and then the next one, and then the next.”
That’s the rhythm you’re in right now.
You don’t need to have everything figured out at once. You just need to keep moving through what’s in front of you.
What to keep in mind:
Focus on the next task. Finish it. Then move on.
Final Thought
Near the end of Project Hail Mary, Rocky looks at Grace and says:
“Grumpy. Angry. Stupid. How long since last sleep, question?”
There’s a good chance that line feels familiar right now.
If you’re tired, frustrated, or not quite as sharp as you want to be, that doesn’t mean you’ve lost your ability. It usually means you’re in the hardest part of the semester.
From where I sit, I don’t expect you to be perfect right now.
I see you showing up. I see you working through it. I see you trying to finish strong even when it’s not easy.
That’s what matters.
You don’t need to have everything under control.
You just need to keep going. You’ve got this.
A question for you
If you’ve seen the movie or read the book, are there any other things that come to mind that connect the end of your semester to Project Hail Mary? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Author’s note: This post began as a draft created with the help of ChatGPT and was revised, edited and customized by me for accuracy, clarity and relevance to my students. I use generative AI as a starting point for ideas, not a substitute for teaching expertise or judgment.
