The Mycenaean

After AP exams are over, the last real obstacle standing between students and summer break is their final class exams (unless you’re a senior who’s exempt). It’s tempting to just give up after AP exams are over, but it’s important to keep pushing through until the end of the school year. Here are some helpful tips to get you through finals week. 

Study Spots

Having a good place to study is imperative for acing finals week. While some people are content to study at their houses, some prefer some background ambience–or food–to go along with their studying.

Some nice spots to study near LRHS are NoRa Cafe and the Leesville Community Library. However, these are popular with the LRHS students, so they can get a little crowded. 

Helpful Study Websites

Having your own notes that you’ve taken throughout the course is always a good way to prepare. According to an article posted by Scientific American, “Engaging the fine motor system to produce letters by hand has positive effects on learning and memory.”

However, turning these notes into usable study materials can be tedious to do by hand, and sometimes, students just need a little extra help with the material. 

Two popular and effective websites to help students study are Quizlet and Khan Academy. 

Quizlet is an online website that is primarily used for making flashcards, which makes it helpful for studying vocabulary terms. They have a variety of games and learning modes to practice whatever students put on their flashcards; however, some of them require a subscription. 

Khan Academy is an online program that offers lessons and practice questions for a wide range of subjects. While the videos can be a little bit dry, they’re good resources for a refresher on course material and questions to test your knowledge. 

For students who took AP classes and still have to take the final exam, the AP Classroom section of College Board has content videos that are specific to what you need to know for the finals. 

General Tips

One of the most important things to help you survive finals week is simply taking care of yourself.

Prioritize getting enough sleep every night before finals. Late-night cram sessions might seem like they’re helping, but in reality, they’re just taking away from valuable resting time. 

Make sure you eat something before finals. High school students, especially, will often skip breakfast because of time, or sometimes just because they aren’t hungry early in the morning. However, eating breakfast helps wake your body up and gives your brain fuel before a long final exam. 

Before finals week, ask your teacher what you’re allowed to have out at your desk after you’ve finished your test. If you finish early, some might allow you to have out your study material for other finals you might have, and students can use this time as a quick refresher.

Last but not least, plan something fun at the end of finals week. This can give students something to look forward to and motivate them to study and push through the week.

Finals week–especially in the spring semester with summer so close–can be tiring and difficult for some students. It’s important to balance studying with personal well-being to achieve your best personal scores and end the school year strong.