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In this article, Melanie discusses finals week and gives some valuable advice on how to handle it.
How cool people handle finals
How cool people handle finals
By: Melanie Campbell
By: Melanie Campbell
It's the final stretch of the school year! Guess what that means... Finals week. Yippie! It's alright. Everyone is fully prepared and has been studying for weeks. It's not like students have been spending their time on TikTok and other mindless activities. We've totally been studying diligently. Everyone has completely memorized everything from this school year, all the way back to September. For sure... Here are some valuable tips for putting this "acquired knowledge" to use during this last week of school.
To start, take that study guide your teacher gave you and throw it in the trash. It's a boring waste of time, and none of it will be on the test anyway. Hopefully, nobody organized their notes. That takes so much effort, when you could just scribble down everything your teacher said. Actually, throw your entire notebook away! University of Illinois Chicago says that note-taking promotes encoding of information, but that's a bunch of nonsense. What does encoding even mean anyway? Why were you wasting time taking notes this semester when you could've been catching up with your friends?
Don't stress too much about studying. It's not your fault anyway. There are literally zero online resources. According to a student at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, "Quizlet has helped me to form a solid foundation for the deeper understanding that comes after getting the basic ideas down." But websites like Quizlet, Study AI, Study.com, and Khan Academy are sooo expensive and definitely not free. Absolutely, under no circumstances should you check Canvas for slideshow links or video resources. That's such a big time-waster, and you won't learn anything from them.
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Here's a secret: Math tests are so simple. You can just use your calculator, duh! Don't bother brushing up on those equations or geometric transformations that you learned. You can just put it in the calculator. As for social studies, all the questions are just common sense. None of them will be that specific, so don't bother revising or memorizing about WWI. English tests are pretty straightforward, too; just pick the answer that looks the most grammatically correct. It's an easy A! No need to read that book, double -check your thesis, or study grammar rules. Science and electives are even easier! Don't waste time using the online resources they provided. Just pick the answer that sounds best. Easy!
When you pick up that textbook to study, make sure not to do practice questions, use flashcards, or write anything down. The best way to memorize information is by reading it once and never thinking about it again. Birmingham City University says that active recall strengthens your memory and long-term memorization, but that's just a scheme to promote extra work. Of course, colleges would say that! Passive studying is so much simpler. Just get comfy, turn on your favorite show, and get to reading.
Make sure not to do any studying until the night before the test. The best information is always retained at 2 AM the morning of. A full night's sleep is for this summer, when you have nothing important in your life. Three hours of sleep is how the cool kids roll. Hydration? Boring.... You get enough water in energy drinks. As for meals, a bowl of Chips Ahoy is a fully nutritious breakfast-- no need for protein. That's for losers and weirdos. Harvard Health says that eating right boosts your memory, but who listens to doctors anyway?
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Now for some test day tips. When you get handed that test or essay, feel free to freak out. You should spend the first half hour staring at the questions or essay prompts to boost your brain power. Everyone knows that the answer will come to you 20 minutes after you read the question. Don't bother coming back to any of the questions that you were unsure about. You need that last 10 minutes to stare at a wall anyway.
Remember, grades are more important than your favorite pet. If you got anything less than 100 percent, you failed. Game over. Prioritize freaking out about the grade you got and comparing yourself to others, not personal improvement. Nerds focus on personal improvement; winners focus on competition.
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