It is three o’clock in the morning on December the nineteenth… A lone freshman cries as she studies for her Global Issues final, staining the pages with her salty tears, knowing this test will crush all her hopes and dreams. Semester exams are one of the most stressful and tedious items on a student’s calendar during December. Hours of studying are poured into these tests, with some students fearing the wrath that may ensue should they fail this daunting task. One must ask the question, how? How are these poor students to make it through this time? This fine author is here to provide tips and tricks to survive this time during the school year.

• Tip #1: Pray.
• Tip #2: Read the rest of the article.
• Tip #3: Make sure you know the school’s weighting system for finals. Each quarter in the semester counts for 40% of the total semester score, with the final exam counting for 20% of the grade.
  • Tip #3A: If you are capable, this formula can be used to find the needed grade: 0.4q₁ + 0.4q₂ + 0.2s = 95. If math is a struggle for you, an online calculator can be used to find out what score you need to have for your desired grade. If you are shooting for an A, you will need to have a 95% as your final semester grade. If your parents love you and they don’t need you to have an A, you will need a 93% semester grade for an A-.
  • Tip #3B: Using this information, figure out which classes you need to study more and which classes need to be studied less. This will give you more time to study for the classes that you struggle with instead of the classes that you do not need to study for as much.
  • Tip #3C: Make sure you actually study for all your classes no matter what the calculator tells you.
• Tip #4: Spread out studying over multiple days so that downing five cans of Monster and pulling an all-nighter the night before the Theology II or Honors Biology test is not the only option. Not only does it save time and sleep, but also helps with remembering the information better.
• Tip #5: Study before you go to sleep. This has been shown to help memory better than studying at any other time during the day.
• Tip #6: Make sure to save time for sleep. It is important for you to be well-rested for the final test days to ensure a good performance on the test.
• Tip #7: Remember how you are feeling right now and think about your grades throughout the semester. Maybe try to have good grades throughout each quarter so you do not have to worry so much about finals next semester.

Finals are a daunting time for students, but it is possible to make it through them unscathed. However, this is a task that many will fail, perhaps even you. Through this article and guide, and especially your prayers crying out to the Lord for help, perhaps you will be able to make it through this most ghastly time of the year.