Finals week is greatly anticipated by many high schoolers and is often a major stress factor. Coming off of a year of online school, the development of good study habits will play a significant role in how students’ scores.

As finals are right around the corner, students began to prepare for their exams over winter break. According to junior and peer tutor Elle Simon, organization makes all the difference.

“I take all of my notes and basically everything I’ve learned, and I try organizing them in a timeline because I find that organization is really key,” Simon said.

Junior Gabriella Medley thinks that students shouldn’t be overly stressed about the tests. Making a study plan and sticking to it is one way to reduce tension.

“Don’t stress yourself by starting [to study] super early, but I would probably start looking over everything every night in January,” Medley said.

Students who have never taken a final may want to prepare in different ways. CHS offers many resources for students to learn study skills, one of which is peer tutoring.

“Definitely you should come to peer tutoring because we do have a study skills table that will help you figure out what works best for you,” Simon said. “It’ll take a while but definitely worth workshopping it.”

A big part of preparing for finals is reaching out for help when needed. Counselors, teachers, and peer tutors are great options, as well as participating in the math lab and writing lab for extra attention.

“I would talk to my teachers also, and see if they have any specific strategies, and I would talk to students that you admire or students who you know do well in certain subject areas to maybe ask for tips,” counselor Susan Penrod said. “I think the biggest thing is, and it’s the hardest thing, is to ask for help. Don’t feel like you have to do it all by yourself.”

Some students have an easier time with certain subjects than others. The amount of studying necessary is dependent on confidence in a subject, so certain classes might require more consideration.

“I think a language class probably requires the most just because it’s a lot to remember and then science classes take a lot of studying,” Medley said. “For math, there’s not so much you can do except look over your answers and work.”

Finals are not something to take lightly, but with preparation, they do not have to be intimidating. Preparation and dedication to studying are the keys to success during finals season, and that can start now.

“Students should prepare for finals as early as possible,” Penrod said. “I think a way to do that even from the beginning of the semester is just to make sure they are organized and that they keep their materials organized.”