Surviving Exam Week

Finals week is fast approaching us, and for freshmen, this is their first round of finals. Taking on your first finals week in high school can seem like a daunting task at first. Even for more experienced students, finals are a dreaded part of the semester. However, Finals really aren’t anything to be concerned about. If you follow the right study habits and stay on top of your work, doing well on your finals should be no problem. 

My first tip is to make sure you know the schedule so you can study efficiently.  Notice what classes you have on which days. Be sure to study for the tests that you will have earlier in the week before you look at the material for tests that won’t come up until the later part of the week.

The exception to this rule is to try to study the hardest material for the longest period of time. For example, I know I’ll have an AP Chemistry test on Wednesday, but because the material is so complicated, I will probably start studying the week before finals. Even if you have a hard test on Thursday or Friday, review for it some as you study for your earlier tests.

Another tip: ideally, no matter how much you need to study, you should try to get some sleep before a big test. If you have a hard test in the morning, it’s usually better to get a few hours of sleep than to try and cram in some extra material at four a.m. If you have a free period or a class without a test in the morning, take advantage of that time to either study or sleep.

Speaking of taking advantage of your time, use the review day the Monday before exams to talk to your teachers. Talking to your teachers if you don’t understand some of the material on your test could save you. The Monday of finals week is scheduled as review, so in most classes, there will probably be time to talk to your teachers. However, if there isn’t time and you need help, make sure you meet with them when they are available. 

When it comes time to take your tests, remember to stay calm, because no matter how prepared you are, getting stressed during a test will only make it worse. Even if you feel like you’re going to fail, at least try your best on the whole test, and you may surprise yourself.

Finals week is certainly not the most fun part of the year, but it doesn’t have to be as bad as you may think. It will take a lot of hard work, but it only lasts four days so you only have to push yourself to study for a few nights. Also, you can look forward to the days where your afternoon or morning class doesn’t have a test and you can enjoy a half-day. Of course, if you still have tests coming up this extra time will be spent studying, but it’s still a nice break. Remember that these exams are not only meant to test your knowledge, but also to prepare you for exams in college and hard weeks in your future career.

By Jake Bogartz