By: Elise Hyde
Finals are coming around the corner! Teachers have been preparing study guides, review sheets, and classroom activities to help their students to do the best they can on the final.
Students have to take two tests through Wednesday and Friday and each test is two hours long. Retaining information for seven classes and having the time to study along with extra activities outside of school is a challenge. This tends to make students stress and because the finals is also apart of their grade.
However, several other students tend to not stress about finals because they know that they have worker hard over the semester so if they don’t get the grade they like on the final their grade won’t drop down a lot. Trusting themselves and going in confidently knowing the information, is another tactic several kids that I have talked to has helped them with their stress with finals.
I had the chance to talk to two teachers, Señor Sandoval and Mr. Miller, and they spoke about how to prepare their students in the best possible way considering that they have to take a written and multiple choice test.
Señor Sandoval, a Spanish 1 and 2 teacher, says that his students have to take a written, multiple choice, and speaking test. Sandoval likes to break up the three different tests into 3 different tasks so students have time to complete all of them. Sandoval says, ” I always want to make sure my students have all the time and material they need, and I do this by providing a study guide.”
Mr. Miller, an AP Literature teacher, have been preparing his students for finals by reading several texts and writing an essay about a question they were asked in the beginning of the year. Miller is preparing his students by giving them many practices and worksheets to help them develop and critique their paragraphs for a big essay that is due on the last day of the semester.
I also had the chance to talk to several students about finals and what they think about it and if they find it stressful.
Amanda Domingez 21′ feels a little bit more relaxed than compared to freshman and sophomore year because she knows what to expect, and has realized that its not what the final grade that determines your overall grade, it is all the hard work and success you put into for the whole semester. Domingez says, ” If you have received good grades and put hard work in all semester, your final grade should reflect that.” Domingez studies for finals by going over her notes and looking up things that she is confused about.
Odessa Marcos 22′ doesn’t find finals extremely stressful because she tries not to stress about things she can’t control and whatever happens, happens. But, Marcos still wants to strive to do her best on the test. Marcos says, “I mainly work hard and pay attention throughout the semester and retain most of the information throughout the year, instead of cramming and memorizing information last minute.”
Devynn Brown 22′ does find finals stressful because it’s not just one class you are studying for, you’re studying for 6 classes which can be challenging. Along with finals there are also some projects that are due on the same week. Brown says, “If you keep your priorities straight, work hard, study, and balance all your classes I should be just fine.”
Johan Satorre 20′ does not find finals stressful because he pays attention during the semester so he won’t be stressing on finals week and cramming information last minute. Johan says, “I just look over my notes and make sure to get a good night’s sleep before going into finals.”
Ella Carney 22′ finds finals stressful because she feels like her teachers all of a sudden start to pile on their last minute projects and worksheets a week before the day she takes the final. Carney says, “I prepare for my finals by asking my teachers questions a week before finals week so I can know what and how to study the best possible way.” Carney also says that she appreciates how her teachers give her useful study guides that she can understand.
Overall, some students feel stressed and others not, but each have strategies in order to balance out their schedule, keep their priorities straight, and to get a good nights rest before the test.
Teachers and students have this last week to finish out and soon it will be Christmas break where students and teachers can relax and enjoy time with their families and friends!