By: Christine Kuzminski

We are on our last stretch towards the end of the school year, and that means finals will be here soon. All classes require finals now and, depending on the class, each final is given a certain weight, which determines how they’ll affect your overall grade. We all want to do well on our finals, but that’s not always easy. It can be very difficult to study all of the things you’ve learned this school year for one test. There are some different study tips you can follow that can make your studying more worthwhile and help you gain a larger knowledge of what you will remember for the test.

The first thing you want to do is start now. Waiting until last minute isn’t the best idea when preparing for such a large test. Also, cramming the night before can be very stressful. If you start now, you will have all the time you need and be able to get in more knowledge before the day of your final exam. A lot of times, when you are studying, it can begin to blur together and become very tiring and boring. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. Turn your study experience into something more fun and easier to remember with a song or game. Take a catchy song you can’t seem to get out of your head and put your exam information into it. It makes it much easier to memorize the information in a way that doesn’t send you snoozing! You could also turn your study session into a good time with the help of some friends. Try getting together with a group of friends that you know will actually study, but are also fun to be around. This makes it easier to study and to get other people’s study ideas as well. If you’re not good with groups, and having a hard time studying on your own, try approaching your teacher. Teachers are there to help you learn, and if you ask your teacher for help, most likely they’ll be glad to help you get the most out of your exam studying time.

Not only is studying your exam information important, but knowing what to do when you’re taking your test may make it easier to relax and do your best. The first thing to remember is not to panic. Try to relax and stay calm before going to take your final exam, so that you’re fully aware and able to remember all the information you learned studying and throughout the school year. Also, take your time. When you rush, you may miss small things that you normally wouldn’t if you took your time and read all the directions. When taking your final exam, make sure you develop all of your answers fully and neatly. Teachers have to grade a lot of exams, and they probably grade two at a time or go through very fast. So, make it easy on the grader and make sure your exam is easy to read and grade. That way, your teacher is less likely to misunderstand your paper and mark sloppy, right answers as incorrect.

     The Squire recently interviewed Alex Hagberg, a junior here at EHS, about how she prepares for her final exams, and her theory on how to do the best they can when taking them.

The Squire: How do you feel about finals coming up at the end of this school year?

Alex Hagberg: I feel pretty confident.

TS: How do you prepare for finals?

AH: I look over some of the stuff I had trouble with throughout the school year.

TS: What are some of your favorite ways to study?

AH: I like to work with a partner and ask each other questions.

TS: What advice would you give to someone who is really nervous when studying for finals?

AH: Don’t over study- just do the best that you can.

TS: How do you prepare the night before exams?

AH: I watch TV and then go to bed; it’s how I relax.

TS: What are your favorite study snacks?

AH: I just like mint gum.

TS: How nervous are you before you take your final exams?

AH: Usually I’m not very nervous, because I know my stuff and I’ll do the best that I can.

TS: When in doubt, what letter do you pick?

AH: B- but I try not to do that.

TS: Are you one to prepare way ahead of time or at the last minute?

AH: Last minute.

TS: How do you relax and try to calm your nerves before finals?

AH: I usually don’t get that nervous and just put it out of my mind.

As you can see, our students here at EHS are starting to get ready for their final exams, hoping to do the best they can to ace them with ease. It’s best to start now and get all the studying in that you can, because the end of the school year will be here before you know it. There are many ways you can make studying easier and more worthwhile so that when finals

come around, you’ll be ready to go and get a great grade.