Interviewee: Sarah Ye, Grade 11
The Cause of Final’s Stress
Voicing many people’s reasons for pressure, junior Sarah Ye said studying, grades and parents induce the most stress. “[Finals are] a big part of your grade,” she said. “Because content and some APs are difficult, studying in general [is stressful].” Ye also adamantly agreed that the weight of parents played a major role in finals week emotions. “I feel pressured because of parental expectations to have a high GPA for college,” she said.
Will I Ever Feel Ready?
Feeling intelligent and all prepared on test day is usually not the case, no matter how much you studied. “Sometimes I feel like…you just give up,” Ye said. Though the end of studying may be giving up, Ye said your preparation can also depend on the subject. “There are classes where you feel ready because you’ve paid attention during class,” she said. “But there are some where no matter what, you don’t feel prepared. It’s just the curriculum and the energy of the class.”
Sleep Studying …
How late have you stayed up studying for a test? During finals week, which is bombed with exams, students become borderline zombies. Ye shared how she deals with getting no rest. “It’s a lot of energy drinks — I can already feel it [for this semester],” she said. “I don’t get that much sleep at all. Last year, I survived on [eating] five mints during a final to stay awake.” Ye said the “tactic” of studying late at night is an individual choice for students to make. “It just [depends on] the level of preparedness and how much you care about [the class],” she said.
Ye’s Recommended Study Tools
Should I Reread the Textbook?
When it comes to studying for your test, rereading the textbook seems like a smart idea– but who wants to reread 10 chapters? “[I don’t believe in rereading] because that’s passive recall and not active recall,” she said. “You’re not testing whether you know it or not. There’s no need to reread it– that’s not going to help you reaffirm what you [already] know.” However, for those who are actually just lost in class, Ye proposed the opposite. “If you don’t know the content, you’re just relearning the content,” she said. “So read the textbook.”
To: Self Care
Finals studying, grades, sleep schedule and stress take a toll on your mental health and body. Ye shared her recommendation to taking care of yourself. “Have a consistent sleep schedule so that you’re not drowsy the day of your final,” she said. Ye also encouraged quality over time in your studies. “If you’re tired and study for five hours, you might finish and understand less than if you studied [well] for two hours while you were awake and focused.” – From Sarah Ye
“You always think the quantity of time is going to increase studying, but it’s the quality of time” – Sarah Ye
