As the first semester comes to an end, finals are just around the corner. Finals can be one of the most stressful times of the semester so it is important to know good ways to study for them.

One of the most important aspects of preparing for finals is using multiple days to study. Trying to cram in all the knowledge the night before almost never works. Students should take at least two full days to study for each subject. 

“I like to study that weekend before and use Saturday to study my B days and Sunday to study for my W days. Then I will study the subjects that I have the next day the night before to refresh my mind,” junior Chloe Price said.

Another good thing to do while studying is use different study tricks. One trick is to chew gum while you read the material, it helps pump your brain faster. The second trick is to take 30 minutes to study, then take a 10 minute break, then go back to studying. The last trick is to doodle on a piece of paper, or take notes as you read. 

“I love setting timers on my phone to study, because it helps me really focus when I know I will have a break soon. It also helps me not be too overwhelmed with all the knowledge I’m trying to obtain,” junior Gwenny Roberts said. 

In almost every class, the teacher will give you at least one review day to either work on your study guides, do review games, or just silent study. This is a great opportunity to get your study material prepared, and also to just study. It is important to use the time provided to you wisely, that way you have less work to do at home.

“I love when my teachers give me time during class, that way I can just relax at home and not have to worry too much about school,” senior Lexi Raft said. 

The environment that studying is done in can be just as important. Around St. Dominic, there are many areas to get peaceful study time, one of which is the Learning Commons. This is a great space to get good quality studying in, with minimal distractions.

“During empower hour I like to go to the Learning Commons to either work on my work or to study for my exams,” junior Houston Yonaka said.

Overall, finals are a really tough part of high school, but hopefully these studying habits will help students achieve great success in their exams. Good luck to all the Crusaders preparing for the big day!