Students! Finals are quickly approaching and can be a hassle to many. For some, this may be a stressful time of year, while for others it is a challenge to show what you have learned thus far. No matter how you approach them, here are some beneficial tips to help you rock this semester’s finals.

How do you prepare for finals?
“I make flash cards,” senior Coley Colwell said.
“Studying my notes is helpful,” junior Erin McClintock said.
“I listen more in class. When I study for a long time, I lose focus. A good breakfast helps too!” sophomore Courtney Reed said.
“Throughout the year, for every test I make a study guide and for finals I study all my study guides,” senior Franki Daymil said.

What are some study habits that you find helpful?
“I think study buddies work well,” Colwell said.
“I look over the study guide,” McClintock said.
“Making songs for vocab and different memorization games is helpful,” Reed said.
“Looking over past notes and tests,” Daymil said.What are the best ways to relieve stress during that time?
“Cooking is relaxing,” Colwell said.
“Go have fun with friends and don’t study all the time,” McClintock said.
“I go on runs and drink hot tea… it’s relaxing,” Reed said.
“Listening to music helps me concentrate better and also takes the stress away,” Daymil said.

Do finals put too much pressure on students? Why or why not?
“No, I don’t think so because kids should already be prepared and do their work so they are ready for the end of the semester,” Colwell said.
“No, because finals are a way to practice your time management which is important for later on in life, for instance, jobs,” McClintock said.
“It depends on the student. For the over-achiever, it can be stressful because they want to do really well but some kids slack and don’t really care how they do on finals,” Reed said.
“For the underclassmen it can be stressful because teachers tell them how important it is for them to do well on the tests so they can get stressed but by the time you are an upperclassman the stress levels go down,” Daymil said.

What do you suggest other students do to take the stress levels down?
“Working out and listening to music helps me. Kids shouldn’t over-think finals,” Colwell said.
“After a day of finals, don’t go straight home and start studying for the next day. Take a break!” McClintock said.
“Don’t cram, you won’t remember anything. Study in chunks,” Reed said.
“Breathe; don’t think about finals so much. Study hard but don’t overdo it,” Daymil said.