Freshmen Tip: Surviving Finals for the First Time

Sean O'Brien, Staff Writer|November 30, 2015

Finals. For freshmen, they may seem like a daunting task, with hours of studying required to get the grade. But never fear, as I have compiled a list of tips from both the people administering the finals and those who have taken finals multiple times.

Grant Tecson, a junior, suggests to:

  1. “Be relaxed. You’ve been in the class for a semester, so you know the information. People who are calm will do way better than people who are freaking out.”
  1. “Don’t stress over finals too much. While finals are important, some kids put way too much on them and study excessively, which just hurts them on the tests.”
  1. “Take advantage of all the resources out there. With online study guides and Youtube videos and so much more, there’s definitely something to help you prepare for the final.”

Michael Saguto, a senior, says students should:

  1. “Not cram. There’s no way you’re going to put an entire semester into your head in one night.”
  1. “Study in moderation. Some students study so much that they just can’t retain any more information,
  1. “Get a good night’s sleep and have a good breakfast, obviously.”
  1. “Put the work in during the semester. Make sure that you’re in a position where you don’t have to worry about finals too much and that the stakes are super low on the day of the test.”
  1. “Studies have shown that kids who dress super casually, like in sweatpants and stuff like that, perform worse than kids who dress as they would on a normal day. Dress like you’re awake and not like you’re asleep.”

Mrs. Shah, who teaches English, recommends to:

  1. “Be sure you understand what will be expected of you for the final exam at least a week before to effectively study for the exam.”
  1. “Be proactive in understanding how your teacher is assessing the content final versus an essay final, so the weighting of the grades are not a surprise to you in the aftermath.”
  1. “Do not cram last minute – it honestly does not help you learn the material, just might help you get by.”
  1. “Seek out all resources possible to prepare for the final exam (teachers, resource periods, study guides, etc.)”
  1. “If any material is confusing, do you wait until the last minute to reach out for help – the earlier the better.”
  1. “Sleep and eat – the benefits are substantial!”

Hopefully, these tips were beneficial and made the idea of studying less overwhelming. Good luck on finals!