"Finals" by Evanne T

As a freshman I see finals as a huge test that goes over a semester of curriculum to see if you actually know what you are learning. Most of my teachers have given me study tools but it seems as if I will never be able to memorize the whole sheet. The closer the days come to finals the more test my teachers have been giving me. I do not what goes through a teachers mind when they say we have a test next week on half of the semester’s curriculum. My theory on why teachers give test before finals is to boost some kid’s grades that need it. I do not really see any positive effects out of finals unless you do well on any of the finals. Many seniors that I have talked say finals are not that bad after your first couple of finals. From the past few weeks I learned that finals take away precious sleep, time for studying. It also adds major stress that is not needed. When I first heard that Spanish has three finals I almost passed out from shock. I understand why there is three finals but if I know how to speak Spanish there is an 80% chance that I know how to write it. As I begin to study even harder for each subject my teacher teaches a new lesson so I have to add it to the list to study for. Some of my teachers are trying add in chapters so we are not behind other classes but they skim through some lessons so then missing some of the information that will most likely be on the final. A couple of my teachers wait to the day of the test to teach the class a key part in the subject and expect everyone to memorize immediately the information, but when more than half the class gets that part of the test wrong it is a problem. So hopefully the teachers do not have any last minute lessons before the final. It seems as if some of my friends are not studying they get and I’m studying like a maniac. It is more so how well you are doing in that class or some people just don’t care. The closer it gets to finals some days I feel like I have study for the whole then other nights I know I feel like that I can get a high grade in every class. The only good thing that comes from finals is that you get to leave early. For each final they are two hours long, are the finals that long to where it takes two hours to finish. As a student athlete it is very important that I do well on all my final so that I will not become ineligible. Because with ineligibility I will not be able to play this season. Being a student athlete means that my grades come before my sport. Another reason why finals make students stress out is because it could take away their extracurricular activities. But really finals are just a test to show what you have learned this semester, the only way to get through the stress is to have good study habits. Good luck to everyone on their finals.