Hello Freshmen!

Semester 1 Finals are coming up soon.

I know this can feel scary, stressful, and a whole lot of other things, so I’m going to share some of my experience to hopefully help you tackle this finals season, and others in the future.

My first tip is: when you’re given class time to study, use it! It’s all too easy to slip into distractions, like talking to your friends or going on your phone. Keep in mind that in-class studying can be very beneficial, it allows you to: reduce some out-of-school studying, collaborate with peers, and ask your teacher questions when you are stumped. The worst feeling is being underprepared for finals, which you might feel no matter what – but this is only true if you don’t study when you are given the opportunity.

Next tip: break it up! Look at the finals schedule – mark the days you will use to study for each period. For example, the weekend before finals I will be studying for my first and second period, which are on Tuesday, but I will also spend time studying for my most difficult tests, so I don’t cram the night before. Write down exactly what you want to accomplish each day, and plan all the days in advance. If you had 5 math chapters this semester, maybe plan to review a chapter a day, and then recap the day before your final.

Finally, make sure to take breaks when you are studying, and avoid distractions. The general rule is to take about a 10 minute break for every hour of studying, to keep you focused and not groggy. Try to do something fulfilling on your break, like moving around or having a snack. Remove yourself from your study space and take a breather. One of my favorite ways to avoid the distraction of my phone when I’m studying is an app called ‘Forest’. You plant a virtual tree, for any length of time, and then the tree ‘dies’ if you go on your phone. It’s surprisingly effective for me, I feel guilty for killing a pretend tree – give it a try.

While some of this may sound cliché, I’ve found all of these tips to be helpful throughout my several years of facing finals. I hope you will benefit from knowing them!

Best of luck,

Senior