With the upcoming holidays, students are preparing to face a yearly challenge: finals.  

Many students are feeling the pressure of trying to maintain their GPA before the end of the semester. The 2019 dates of finals in Etowah are Dec. 17, 18, 19, and 20. 

“I am stressed about (finals) because the classes I am taking this year are tougher and have more content. I’m going into finals hoping to finish all my classes with all A’s,” Morgan Busbee, sophomore, said. 

There are many ways to prepare for the exams. 

“Finals should test what you have already learned. It’s a review process and students shouldn’t try to cram an entire semester’s worth of information into their heads in a few hours. This rarely works! Most teachers will provide a review sheet or some type of review guide. Students should use that guide to review what they’ve learned over the semester. Be sure to manage time effectively so that the study process doesn’t become overwhelming,” Donnell Osborne, AP Seminar and Honors United States History teacher, said. 

Studying a week in advance is more beneficial to a student’s grade as opposed to studying the night before because it allows more time for the information to be processed and understood. Stanford psychology scholars conducted a study in 2017 that shows studying more strategically leads to improved exam scores. 

“I usually make sure to try to get good grades before my midterms, so I have a cushion in case things go wrong. Before midterms, I go through my binders and pull out old tests and review sheets and just spend some time reviewing. Sometimes my friends and I go to Copper Coin to study,” Natalie Nejad, junior, said.  

Many students read and go over the notes they took in class. Although this may not work for some, it works for others. Taking down the important notes and keeping them organized are extremely crucial when it comes time for testing. 

When it comes to retention, writing information down and putting answers directly onto paper will be more effective than typing notes on a laptop. 

“The best way to study for the final is to spread out your studying time evenly. Don’t force yourself to study for two hours– try to study for 15-20 minutes. Maybe take a break for five (minutes)  and then come back, review the material, and start up again,” Kacey Phillips, senior, said. 

Another study method is taking practice tests. There are a variety of practice tests available online on websites such as Varsity Tutors, Quizizz, and IXL.  

“I like to look back at my notes every now and then study for at least thirty minutes every day the week of the test. And the night before the test, I quiz myself on questions I’m struggling on,” Anthony Myers, freshman, said.  

Finals begin in two weeks. Be prepared.