Finishing the Year Well

This time of year a lot of students are winding down, and just wanting these last few weeks to hurry up and finish. However, now is not the time to give up and stop doing school work, especially with exams coming up.

There are multiple reasons and ways to finish well, no matter what grade you’re in. Here are just a few.

Keep communicating with your teachers and don’t slack off on assigned work. If you keep talking to your teachers and maintain a good relationship with them, then they will be more likely to help you if you need it, as well as more likely to write you recommendations. For a job or college. And keep your foot on the gas. I know the last thing most students want to do is wake up early, come to school and do work. However, in the long run, finishing well will benefit you, either in getting you into the college or job you want, or in preparing you for adult life and a career.

If you have a final exam or a SOl, then there are things you need to do to prepare for these exams. Studying will definitely benefit you. Most of the time, teachers will tell students what the final grade will be and the majority of the time it will be the final exam. On the other hand, if you don’t have a final but you have an SOL you will still need to study if you hope to graduate on time. So be sure to review all the material and put in the effort into those practice SOL tests. Believe it or not, teachers don’t just have students take those tests for kicks.

Remember to take time for yourself. It is very easy to get overwhelmed by all the assignments, tests, and other things that go with finishing the school year. Most likely you will be stressed so you need to remember to do things for yourself, whether it’s making yourself your favorite dessert, giving yourself an hour or so to watch a video, or making weekend plans to look forward to. Don’t get so distracted that you take your eye off the prize, but do give yourself something to aim for in between and after exams.

Use online tools, whether it’s practice sites, practice quizzes or Kahoot, not to mention what your teacher gives you to review. The more you use these tools, the better you’ll do. Even if you think you know the information, it doesn’t hurt to review and look over it. Sites like sol.pass. Khan Academy, and Quizlet are great ways to review.

Last, don’t over stress yourself. I know that’s hard, because I get stressed every time I take a test. But it will help if you take some deep breaths from time to time. Get a good night’s sleep on a regular basis, at least eight hours a night. Also, don’t skip breakfast, especially on test days. Eat something that will keep your energy up so you won’t be jittery and you can stay awake during the test. I know that you’ve heard these things since third grade, but it really does make a difference.