Just a friendly reminder that finals start on Dec. 16th…So time to start preparing. It’s never too early.

Freshmen: Congratulations, you’ve almost completed you’re first semester of high school. (scary right?) Since most of you have never taken a final exam, I’ll fill you in on all you need to know.

• A final is a test over all the material taught in a semester
• Every class has a final (choir, gym, band, art… ALL of them)
• Finals are usually weighted to be 10%, 15% or 20% of your semester grade.

But I promise, finals are not as scary as they sound.

Sophomores/Juniors/Seniors: Another semester, another round of finals. There should be no surprises, you’ve been through this before. Just remember to stay focused and motivated!

No matter what grade you’re in, you still have to take finals, so, here are 7 tips to make finals suck less:

1. Don’t Cram! Spread out your studying over the course of a few weeks. Trying to remember all the material you need to know the night before is only going to stress you out. Being stressed while taking a final is NOT the key to success.
2. Get Organized! Know when all your finals are and know what will be on them. Most likely your teachers will give you a study guide AT LEAST a week in advance. There is no excuse for “not knowing” the information on final.
3. Ask Questions! Here’s a shocker: your teachers actually want you to be successful! (who would have known) If you don’t know how to solve a math equation, ask your teacher for extra help. Schedule a time to meet before or after school, it’ll only help you in the long run.
4. Eat a Well Balanced Breakfast! On the day of your final, make it a point to eat a breakfast full of protein so your brain is ready to focus! You wouldn’t want to be distracted by your tummy growling while you’re taking a test.
5. SLEEP! Go to bed early the night before finals. It’s VERY important to get enough sleep. Cramming until midnight the night before the test will not help you as much as a full night’s rest.
6. Be Prepared! For some, this information may be coming too late but, learning the material when it’s taught is the best way to prepare for a final. You should NOT have to learn new material for a final. It should be a review of all the information you’ve learned throughout the semester. Paying attention in class and completing homework is the best way to be successful.
7. Have Confidence! At least act like you know what you’re doing! If you’re really in doubt about an answer then take an educated guess. You have a better chance on getting the question right if you guess than if you leave it blank.

Remember: Finals are only as scary as you make them! So, good luck, Vikings! Get studying!