HC finals are upon us, and students are striving for success. With a total of six finals for most students, many can be overwhelmed by this upcoming week. Finals start on Wednesday, December 14th, and go through Friday, December 17th. Each day there are two finals timed at two hours each with an hour break in between. 

Like the past two years at HC, finals will be worth ten percent of your class grade. This should reduce some of the stress students may have, as the final isn’t weighted heavily. Each teacher is required to assign a final for their class, but the style can vary depending on the curriculum. Anything from multiple-choice tests, essays, or reports on the past semester is used as a way to test what students have learned.

Although finals can be nerve-racking, there are some ways to ease the stress. Most teachers have study guides or after-school reviews that students can use to prepare. If offered, these reviews are critical, and students should take advantage of their resources to have the best possible outcome. It is imperative not to cram your studying into one night. To retain the information and ease the pressure, students should plan to study ahead of time and spread it out over the next few days.

Getting into a study group is also an excellent way to be prepared. Sharing knowledge and feeding off of each other is beneficial for students to remember content. With more perspectives on content, working together gives different perspectives on learning and helps students remember how to attack a question. Get comfortable in a space and start reviewing. 

Many teachers also post all of their previous lessons on Canvas, and this can be used as a study tool. Studying and being prepared for these upcoming finals is important. Take your time answering questions, check your work, and be confident in yourself. Take study breaks, get sleep, and eat breakfast each day. Finals can be stressful, but we got this!