Surviving Finals

Every school has them, and every student dreads them. It is officially finals season and these tests can either make or break your grades. They can be stressful, intimidating, and most of all annoying. But, we all have to get through them, so here are some helpful suggestions that might make finals seem a little less terrible.

1.       Make sure you understand what is on your final and how it is weighted. That way you know what to study the night before you take it. Most finals are weighted between ten and twenty percent of your grade, if the final is not weighted as much you know to focus on other classes where the finals are weighted more. Also make sure you know what you will be tested on so you can make sure to study the right material.

2.       On the day of finals, do not stress out. You either know the information or you don’t. There is really nothing you can do about it, so try not to stress out about it. Just relax, and think about what the questions are asking because you probably do know the answer.

3.       Eat a good breakfast. You don’t want to be falling asleep while taking your finals. I suggest things that will give you as much energy as possible. Things like oatmeal or eggs are always good along with coffee or other drinks that will give you energy. This step is especially important for timed tests because when you are tired you tend to be slow and sluggish. The last thing you want is to not even finish the test.

4.       In the weeks prior to finals try to do every extra credit opportunity possible. This way your grades are padded in case you don’t do so hot on the finals. This will relieve some of the stress that finals can put on you.

5.       Be confident when you answer the questions. I have already done a blog post that tells you how to survive test taking but I want to emphasize not second guessing yourself. Your first instincts are usually right.

6.       When finals are over plan to have a celebration or treat yourself to something special. This will motivate you to do well on finals and give you something to look forward to. And if you didn’t do well, this should take your mind off of it.

Finals are never a fun time during the school year but it is important not to stress too much about them. You can even think about them as a good thing. It could be another chance to improve your grade enough to get from an A- to an A.  

Good luck everybody!

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