Before students get to enjoy the winter season they must survive the dreaded finals week. As students rush to turn in any missing assignments and keep their grades up, they also have to focus on preparing for their final exams which stand in the way of Christmas break.

Students have a variety of ways to prepare, but one thing they all have in common is trying to stay healthy. During these cold months, students and teachers are more susceptible to illness. Some methods to avoid sickness is to wear warm clothes, wash your hands, and stay dry.

After school hours, many students go to the library to form study groups with friends. The friendly faces, warm atmosphere, and PREP snacks encourage students in their studies. However, others prefer to study by themselves and rid themselves of all distractions to improve how well they focus.  “When I study I isolate myself from everyone, lock myself in my room, and most importantly, I give my phone to my mom to hide.” says, junior, Erika Diaz.

Every student has their own way of preparing for finals. Some ways to prepare are color coding notes, crash course videos on class topics, and going to tutoring for subjects they are struggling with. “I prepare for finals week by studying all of the information my teacher gave me from the beginning of December. Also when I study, I like to chew gum to help me retain the information,” says junior, Kelly Diep.

It’s important to emphasize the difficulty of finals. Many students have similar experiences of studying last minute and forgetting everything when testing time comes around. Underclassmen often fall into the trap of overstudying the night before and being too tired to give testing their all. “In my sophomore year of high school, I avoided practicing self-care and solely focused on studying — which ultimately led me to receive lower scores than usual because I had ignored my needs,” senior Samantha Padron mentions.

Keep in mind that finals often include subjects that have been studied since the beginning of school. Notes are the most valuable asset when it comes to studying since they are written by the students themselves and often have personalized methods or phrases that help students memorize information such as math formulas or important phrases.

Finding a comfortable place to study also plays a key part in how long teens are willing to study. To prepare students for finals teachers help students review by giving them packets that have questions starting from the first lesson they’ve taught. If students get stuck on a question from past chapters they can check their notes for clarification and talk to their teacher or classmates until they fully understand, so if it shows up on the test, they’ll be covered.

Moreover as an ode to the supreme aid Quizlet, this website has a vast supply of flashcards, tests, and games on every subject that helps students memorize information. “For finals, I review quizlets because they help A LOT and I also retake notes on things I feel will be on the final because jotting things down helps me remember concepts better,” says Betsabe Alfaro.

Finally, the most important thing to focus on before finals is a student’s mentality. The brain is the most powerful resource a student has. If they keep a positive outlook students can study with a light heart and better recollect information. “I prepare for finals by having a positive mindset. I want to avoid any distractions that prevent me from having a good mindset but there are distractions everywhere.” says Azarel Hernandez-Moreno.

No matter how stressed students get, or how unmotivated they start to feel, they should always remember that life will go on and grades are not a validation for them as a person.