Finals week can be a very stressful time for students, so knowing the correct ways to prepare is key to a stress-free week. Finals may seem very intimidating to freshman, or really any student as they approach, but there are tons of ways to relieve stress and ace one’s finals.
Some Camas High School students gave their opinions on finals. Not everyone stresses about them. Junior Queyn Do says, “finals aren’t that much stress, I just keep up with my studying through the year.” If students just keep up with school and pay attention then there won’t be so much stress to memorize everything needed to pass. Do also states, “as long as you don’t cram study and spread it out and take breaks you will be successful.” So remember to pay attention and study in increments.
Finals are one of the most stressful things coming into high school. Freshman Sierra Craft says, “they seem like they might be easy but the stress is really getting to me.” Finals are stressful but it is just a review of what you already know, so don’t stress about it too much.
CHS counselor Mrs. Elizabeth Rollman says that it is better to prepare over time rather than the night before a big test. Like many students tend to do, procrastination doesn’t help you remember things you have learned over long periods of time. “Spreading your studying out over a couple days is most beneficial,” says Rollman.
Most students have different ways of studying based on how that specific student learns. Students should have a well thought out organization system that works best for them.“I think it’s important to have a system…some people like to do ‘To Do’ lists and check things off,” Rollman explains.
Other than studying over the course of a few days instead of the night before, it is also beneficial to get a good night’s sleep. “It is so crucial to have that sleep in between your study sessions because that is when your brain is able to move your short term memory into long term memory,” Rollman adds. With all the studying that students try to do the night before, there is no room for sleep.
Rollman gives a suggestion to use an app she has heard about called “self-control” that is supposed to be useful in helping you to stay focused. “You can block yourself from certain cites for an amount of time that you set… for that time you can’t check it [Apps or Internet] and you can’t get alerts,” explains Rollman.
“ I was reading this study that was basically saying that if you’re in the zone of complete concentration and something pulls you out of it like a text message, it can take you up to about 30 minutes to reach that same level of concentration,” Rollman finalizes.
“I think students waited til’ the night before, and that does not work,” states English teacher, Mrs. Connie Dignan. “Study a little bit at a time each night for a couple of weeks in advance and not to cram”
“Spend 20 minutes or 30 minutes on a particular subject area each night,” Dignan explains.
In regards to when it comes to taking the actual test, Dignan has some useful tips to keep in mind for test day. “It’s important for students to have access to water and to be able to see the clock, to have a quiet environment, to have clear instructions and to have an appropriate amount of time,” says Dignan.
When it comes to the day of finals, students should make sure to be well prepared and take the proper self-care that they need to be at their full potential the day of school exams.
