With first semester final exams just around the corner, students and teachers are quickly preparing for the week that can be stressful for some and relieving for others. Due to finals being right before Christmas break, an increase in anxiety is brought on students who want to concentrate and do well on their finals but also look forward to Christmas and their long breaks to spend time with friends and family. To help combat this anxiety, some students may start studying early and prepare themselves so they are more than ready before finals week. Study habits and stress prevention depend on the students, as some prefer to spend several hours studying while others tend to only spend short periods of time several times a week studying for their final exams. It all depends on what students’ study capabilities are; some find it easy to concentrate and study, while others may have difficulties with it.
Other study habits include getting a good amount of sleep, eating well, and trying to study while the brain is at its peak performance: during the day. Students who get stressed while studying should take breaks every once in a while and divide their studying so they stay concentrated and attentive. Stress is natural when preparing for exams, but it is often helpful to destress by reading a book or watching TV until students feel like studying again.
Methods of studying can also vary depending on the person. Some can just look over the information and memorize it after reading it a few times. Others make flashcards or Quizlets and many make Kahoots or other online study tools.
“I tend to study using paper flashcards and Quizlet; I think it’s helpful and I plan to use this type of studying to help me study for the finals,” said freshman Lukasz Petrocci.
Some teachers provide a study guide to aid students in studying and some teachers may even offer examples of what will be on the exam.
Preparing for final exams is important for teachers as well. They have to create their final exams and prepare their students to take them. Teachers also can offer study tips and study tools.
“I am preparing my classes for the finals by giving them study guides as well as making a review Kahoot. I also wanted to make it easier to study and understand the material by breaking it into smaller chunks,” said Science Department Chairperson Mrs. Paula Nicolau.
Both students and teachers are busy preparing for finals and this can be something that is hard and stressful for some, such as freshmen that have never taken the finals before, and not as hard and stressful for those that have taken them before or those that have properly prepared and studied. Maintaining positive study habits and methods of studying can help students succeed.