All I Want for Christmas Is…An A+ on All My Finals!

All+I+Want+for+Christmas+Is...An+A%2B+on+All+My+Finals%21

Emma Baskin, Student Life Section Editor

I’m sweating. My hand trembles as I move the keypad on my MacBook to MyMarymount. I’ve made it to the login page. I see the tallied uniform infractions on my portal (note: new year’s resolution is to wear the proper uniform…) But I’m not worried about infractions right now; I’m worried about my finals. This is the moment. I scroll down the page very slowly, attempting to combat my shaky hand, and then I see Dr. Gonzalez’s face shrunken into the tiny circle. She’s staring at me. MyMarymount then pressures me: “see grade detail.” I don’t know, do I really want to see my grade details? I take a deep breath and manage to move my tremored hand to click my grade detail… MY GRADE WENT UP! I GOT AN A ON MY FINAL! I AM THE BEST AP BIOLOGY STUDENT AT MARYMOUNT! Do you want this to be you in January (minus the shaky hand)? Keep reading! 

Over my past three years at Marymount, there have been many test-taking techniques that I’ve picked up along the way: don’t over-analyze, read the questions first, blah, blah, blah. While these are all great strategies, finals are a whole different ballpark, and they require a specific plan. 

First, you should always try to pay attention in class and take good notes. My favorite way to take organized notes is on Google Docs with the template “Class notes.” While writing is a lot more effective in terms of retaining information, it does not include the utter inefficiency of people with bad handwriting (AKA me). That’s why when you take notes, you paraphrase and make sure to write down a summary of what your teacher is saying. This helps you to understand the information they are teaching. A lot of the information that goes on finals is things that your teachers explicitly lecture on. 

Reminder from Drake! Yeah, finals week is tough, but WINTER WEEK!!!

Next, I find it extremely beneficial to create a studying plan for finals. Budget your time based on your grades or understanding. For example, if Math is a hard class for me, I should probably spend more time practicing for Math than, for example, English or another subject where I have a good understanding of the content. Additionally, YOU SHOULD BEGIN STUDYING FOR FINALS SEVERAL WEEKS IN ADVANCE. I know it is hard, but studying the week of is not going to be helpful, you should review a couple of weeks before to make sure to ace your exams. 

Furthermore, getting an A on your finals is no small feat, but a lot of it is reliant on your mindset. If you go into a final expecting to fail, you will fail. Try to have a positive outlook and do not put too much pressure on yourself to get an A, because in reality, that rarely happens (unless you are Ava Osborn!). Make sure you are eating healthy foods, getting enough sleep, and making time to relax (yes, even during finals week). It is important to prioritize self-care always, but especially during this time. 

Lastly, USE YOUR RESOURCES!! Prior to finals week, meet with your teachers if you have any questions over content or general questions about the exam. It is super important to check in with them early because they are just as busy as us during finals week! Make sure to also visit your class website pages and check the resources that are available from your teacher. Use practice quizzes to test your knowledge and highlight or take notes of the questions that you don’t understand. Additionally, we have many amazing tutors on campus that can help you!! Don’t hesitate to reach out to anyone for help. Another great way to learn the material is to teach it to other people. So, if mom or dad aren’t too busy, maybe they’ll want to hear about Physics? 

Ultimately, whether you do good or bad, it is important to remember that grades are not indicative of one’s character, so don’t stress too much about the letter on your transcript. Remember that sailors are fearless leaders, intelligent young women, NATIONAL CHAMPIONS… you get the gist! So what’s a couple of finals anyway?