Jam Packed: Finals can be overwhelming, especially if students aren’t given adequate time to prepare

Each night as the air gets colder and the sun starts to set before dinner, I feel my motivation begin to slip.

There’s just one thing stopping me from cashing in my last bit of motivation for three weeks of winter break — my dreaded final exams.

The three weeks leading up to winter break are by far the most energy-sucking weeks of the school year because it feels as if a semester of work is crammed into one week, especially with additional assignments such as semester reviews, unit projects and presentations.

The first step in my getting through finals plan is to use as much of class time and any free time I have to continue to review. But we always seem to have to finish up one last unit a few days too close to the final, leaving an inadequate amount of review time in school. I review best with others and when I have quick access to a teacher for any questions, not while sitting in my kitchen by myself.

From Nov. 28 to Dec. 20, I’m constantly alternating between pink post-it notes that I use on my MacBook for my reminders of the week. These usually consist of my nightly assignments and the two tests coming up on Friday when in reality I’m just trying to schedule my nap for the week.

The closer finals get, the more dread I feel when my teachers pile on each new assignment. Even now in the week of finals, I’m finishing assignments instead of digging through the piles of study guides I have to complete this week if I want to do well on my exams.

I understand trying to wrap up a unit the week before finals, but the extra assignments during the week of finals feels unnecessary when we will be moving on after two weeks of break. Review is crucial for finals, especially when the review is for a grade. Now I have even more homework because of graded reviews.

I don’t want to be spending hours at home on a review, rushing through it just for a grade. Again, it’s about how much time I’m given in class. Without enough time, I feel helpless and will end up working alone at home which makes me feel like I’m not able to access help if needed.

I couldn’t even relax over Thanksgiving break over the thought of completing a brand new unit before taking a long final. Now instead of counting down the days til Christmas, I’m counting down the days til finals. 

Since then, I’ve received daily reminders from friends and teachers that finals are starting. The question-of-the-day in many of my classes has been, “What’s your hardest final?”

Finals are exhausting — School. Homework. Sleep. Repeat. It’s a consistent loop but instead of an ordinary day of school, I’m always reviewing one subject or another. 

For me, taking a one hundred question test is not my ideal way of proving what I’ve learned. For some people, it works out well. I prefer projects or even writing, as long as I’m not cramming my mind with information.

I want to be prepared and be able to succeed, but I also realize that if I end up crying while studying that it’s okay to take a break. It’s a lot to sit through, sometimes too much.

I try to remind myself that when I pick up my pencil for my first final, I struggle with this because at the end of each day I check on grades. Though, I know that grades don’t define who I am. The grade I get on my final doesn’t define me.

These last two days of finals, buy a large coffee, sit down for an hour at a time and study what you can. Remember that your next test is not worth your tears and I’m rooting for you, good luck.