As November comes to a close and December begins, finals are slowly creeping into view for students and teachers alike. Many students have already experienced the stressful month full of tests and study guides, but for freshmen, this is the first time they will take any major tests at the high school level.

A few more academically experienced students shed light on how to prepare and what to expect.

Sophomore Class president Will Kennedy

Q: Do you have any advice to Freshmen about finals?

A: I would say pace your studying and make sure you give yourself time for each class.

Q: What was the hardest thing about finals for you last year?

A: Motivating myself to actually study.

Q: What did you find was the best way of studying?

A: I always put my phone away, listened to music and made a bunch of quizlets for all my classes.

Junior Katherine Gallagher

Q: From your experience, do you have any advice to freshmen about finals week?

A: My advice would be is to plan out your studying before hand and know which days you are going to be studying what.

Q: From your experience, what was the hardest thing about finals?

A: The hardest thing about finals is time management and making sure that you are still getting enough sleep, because not studying and having to stay up super late the night before never works.

Q: Finally, what is your preferred way of studying?

A: The best of studying for me is filling out all of my study guides and making quizlets or flashcards on the weekends, especially the weekend before finals, and then only having to review the night before.

Senior Daniel Jamell

Q: Any advice to freshmen about finals week?

A: My advice for finals week is to prepare for finals before the week of. If you prepare in the weeks preceding the finals, it makes the week itself a lot more relaxing.

Q: In the three previous years you have taken finals, what, in your opinion, is the hardest thing about them?

A: The hardest thing about finals week is finding the motivation to study. It’s easy to blow off studying, but it’s vital in order to succeed.

Q: What do you find is the best way of studying and preparing?

A: I like using quizlet a lot. Usually you can find other Quizlets that will help you study as well.

Senior Bridget McCarty

Q: What is your advice to freshmen about finals?

A: If your grade in the class is bad, study hard for your final; otherwise if your grade is decent, then still study, but don’t stress as much.

Q: In your three years experience of finals, what would you say is the hardest thing about them?

A: I don’t think finals are that hard and shouldn’t be so stressed because unless you completely fail, it won’t really affect your grade. At least for me.

Q: To close, what have you found to be the best way of studying?

A: I guess quizlet, but honestly just talk it over with friends and go to your teacher if you don’t fully understand something, and that can really help your grade.