With the arrival of December— Christmas carols over the radio, the sweet taste of hot chocolate, and Anthony Edwards Sprite Cranberry ads, also comes the anxiety of finals week. Amidst inflatable decorations and festive spirit wear, students hustle, looking for time in between free periods, sports games, and extracurriculars in preparation for final exams.
At the start of December, more time is put into review for final exams during class for students—especially with Lion Block in full swing. Teachers are more than willing to explain class material for students with questions during Lion Block and after school, and it does make preparation for finals even easier. However, with all the extra study guides and in-class review time and teacher support during Lion Block, some students still might find it hard to study up before finals. One second you’re sitting in Querbes with your friends, eating lunch, then poof—you’re in the middle of Mahoney Gym with a basketball in your hand or a classroom for a club that you’re part of. On top of that, there’s some missing assignments you’re planning to finish up before next period; the constant activity never ends. For many, there’s one reason why preparing for finals week feels so challenging: the lack of time.
An additional ninety minutes in between classes is always appreciated for a little extra study or down time, but before finals week, it’s crucial. Because of lunchtime, extracurricular, and athletic commitments, some students may spend lesser amounts of time going to teachers for help. Oftentimes you only have the opportunity to talk to one or two teachers because you’re just traveling from one side of the school to the other. While it’s important to balance time during Lion Block for studying and fun, I do think that an extra ten or twenty minutes added to the period will give students even more valuable time to prepare. Students who can come in, sit down, and have a stable conversation with teachers without worries of time restraints will be much more efficient.
Secondly, some additions involving school start times could be made to give students not just extra time to study, but to rest. It goes without saying that students are greatly, greatly appreciative of late starts to squeeze in a couple extra minutes of sleep. Even just a period of thirty minutes to an hour for late starts can make a huge difference in students’ productivity. I myself used to arrive at school way ahead of time—like 7:15 early—but when I stopped doing so to sleep longer, I was less impatient during the day and paid higher attention in class. Of course, late starts cut down class time, but the trade-off is is noticeable: students are more relaxed, alert, and willing to learn during those shortened school days in preparation for their finals.
While time is important, it can’t be completely controlled. Extracurricular activities can stand in the way of valuable time to study, but time can always be managed, especially with finals being number one priority for most students. Ultimately, with the addition of extra time throughout the school day for students to prepare, we can look forward to success in finals week.