Here at MHS, final exams are right around the corner, signaling the close of the 2024–25 school year from Wednesday, May 28, to Friday, May 30. Depending on your academic performance throughout the year, you may even qualify to opt out of some of your exams–students who take their class’s respective AP exam, earned As all four quarters, or earn a qualifying score on a state test may be eligible for exemption incentives. Regardless, whether you’re gearing up for a full week of tests or just one final, here’s a quick guide to making the most of your remaining study time.
Prioritize Material
If you’re looking to start studying now, let’s face it: you don’t have time to review everything. Try to figure out what matters the most—what you know you know will be on the exam. Start by going through recent tests or study guides. Look for topics that have been emphasized throughout the quarter or brought up repeatedly in class.
Focus on high-value information first. That includes anything bolded or underlined in your notes, or key terms or formulas. If you’re overwhelmed, make a “must know vs. nice to know” list, separating important topics you’ve spent a lot of time on in class from supplemental material. Start with the tough stuff while your brain is fresh, and leave the review of easier material for later.
Don’t be afraid of prioritizing one class over the others, either. If you think you’re less prepared on one of your exams compared to the rest, place most of your time and effort on where you think you have more room to improve.
Invest in Active Learning
A common mistake students make during finals week is “studying” by simply rereading their notes. This might feel productive—after all, you’re looking at school stuff—but your brain isn’t actually engaging with the material. Passive studying gives you a false sense of confidence, and that can lead to bad surprises on test day.
Instead, use active recall. Cover up your notes and try to explain the content from memory. Draw diagrams or take practice quizzes. Create a flashcard deck on Quizlet or Knowt—or, if you prefer the old-fashioned route, grab some index cards and ask a friend to quiz you. That’s what friends are for, after all. If you can’t answer a question without looking, you don’t know it well enough yet.
Take A Nap
This suggestion sounds slightly counterintuitive. Quite the contrary.
Sleep is when your brain does all that processing and stores what you’ve learned. It’s like letting the information marinate in your gyri. Skipping out on the sleep, on the other hand, is like throwing all your studying down the drain.
Aim for at least six hours of sleep the night before test day. If you’ve studied effectively during the day, your brain will continue to solidify that information while you sleep. You’ll wake up with clearer thinking and better focus.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re aiming for an A or just trying to pass chemistry without crying, what matters most is doing your best and learning from the experience. And once that last bubble is filled in, your pencil is down, and it’s finally summer break—go home. Take another nap. Enjoy the next three months of your life.
Good luck on finals, and have a great summer, MHS!
