Flying Through Finals
As holiday break approaches, stress is found prevalent among high school students. The stress of whether you pass or fail, turn in all of your work, and most importantly, finals. Finals can be very frightening for some students, as it comes last in the grade book for the semester.
In the past, upperclassmen have survived the last few apprehensive weeks before break with tons of dedication and hard work. Freshmen are just a few short weeks away from finals and it is their first time ever in the semester taking them. Some specific and creative methods of studying can make getting through finals less tedious and much easier. It is always important to maintain good study habits and not overwhelm yourself.
“During finals week I felt super scared [..] knowing that it meant I had to sit in a class for a super long time and take a test seemed stressful. I was super stressed, but to cope with the situation I found that something as simple as listening to music and drinking tea comes a long way while studying — Brenda Vega
When you’re studying for finals it is always very important to take breaks. Studying for finals can be overwhelming and hard to do under pressure. Make sure to make a plan and arrange specific days on when to study. For example, throughout the first few weeks before finals, study for a few hours everyday until the week approaches. Don’t wait until the week of finals to study, try to study at least every day weeks before finals week arrives. To make studying more positive and fun, make plans with your friends to study together and work on the material!
“I studied for finals by reviewing my notes after school and evaluated what I knew best, I would typically spend an hour total for classes after school every day,” said Sophomore Tyler Reiseck.
Using flashcards and writing down what you need to know for the exam is very beneficial in establishing the material. Using creative drawings and catchy phrases on flashcards can help with memorization and adds a way for the material to click in your brain. Writing down phrases or terms on paper can also help with really understanding the information on finals. For example, writing down a vocabulary word and its term may be exhausting, but you can find it very helpful when it comes down to knowing what the word means.
“Every class takes notes, and I highly encourage everyone to use them […] When I wasn’t sure on what something meant I always made sure to ask for help.”Also, making flashcards and labels helped me keep track of where everything was and made studying much easier,” said Sophomore Brenda Vega.
When it comes down to finals, it can be very stressful. Make sure to manage your time well and always ask teachers for clarity on any misunderstood matter. The most important tip to remember during finals is to relax and make studying fun. Use incentives and reward yourself for what you come to accomplish throughout your hard work during and after finals. Be positive about the finals experience and make sure to try your very best.
“During finals it’s important to take breaks and find time to set everything aside and relax. It’s hard to study under stress,” said Sophomore Brenda Vega.
Abigail Thompson (Abby) is a senior at Ripon High. She has been involved in clubs at Ripon High such as Girls League, Pre-Med Club, Link Crew, Journalism,...
