It Gets Real

As we enter into the cold weeks of December, we are faced with the inevitable; Finals Week. Testing sessions will be held on the week of December 13, 2021 and they will conclude on December 16, 2021. The following Friday will be a teacher-student free day. After Friday, we’re launched into winter break until next year. If you find that finals came out of nowhere, I’ve got your back with these last minute preparations to ace those tests. 

Study, Study, Study.

Repetition is key. This is a key concept to remember when trying to learn a subject or two. Don’t wait until the night before and swear you’re going to stay up late studying, it’s impossible to learn three subjects in six hours. Manage your time at school wisely by taking advantage of office hours with your teachers, or tutoring in the library. It’s been proven that a few hours of studying over the course of a few days is a better effective learning strategy compared to learning all the material the night before.

Managing Stress 

Finals are a big chunk of your grade, it’s natural to stress out over your performance on a test. In order to keep the stress to a minimum, you should limit distractions and any big conflicts that you can run into. If you find yourself overwhelmed and spiraling, remember that it is vital to take a break. Breaks only promote growth. The night before, do some final reviewing and get a good night’s rest. Turning your phone off for 30 minutes before bed can help you sleep since it limits the amount of blue light you’re exposed to. The morning of testing, prepare yourself at home by eating a good breakfast, after all, it is the most important meal of the day. Healthy food choices are key here, your brain will not work to its full potential off of energy drinks and Pop Tarts. Protein rich foods contribute to your brain alertness, opt for combinations with milk, eggs, oatmeal, or yogurt. Berries are a great source of nutrients that promote your academic performance, try to get at least a cup of fruit in before the big test. 

After You’ve Tried Your Best

After finals are over, you’ll find yourself either super accomplished or feeling like you completely failed. Maybe you knew everything on the test and breezed right through, perhaps you couldn’t recall a single concept. Either way, you gave it your best shot and your score can only show you where to improve. Classes will resume January 3, 2021.