The first semester of school, that was all done virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is finally coming to an end. One could even say, a “finale”. Lame puns aside however, finals for everyone’s classes are coming imminently in the following week. So what does that mean for everyone? It means it is time to plan accordingly for all of your finals in the upcoming week.

From the Eleanor Roosevelt High School Stem Academy’s Instagram account boldly displaying, “Schedule for Semester 1 Finals Week; check with your teachers for your specific scheduled exam dates for each class.” The account then goes on to list the dates and times for each class throughout the week. Once again, this year has presented some oddities, and that extends to our finals schedule. If one were to look at the schedule, one would notice that the schedule looks very similar to the traditional/remote schedule all year, which is correct. The account continued to post the standard schedule of, “Period One- Seven-forty to Nine o’ clock, Period Three- Nine-O’ eight to Ten-twenty-eight, Period Five, Ten-thirty-six to Eleven-fifty-six”, for the date of Monday, December 14. The account also announced the same schedule for the odd day of Wednesday, December 16, as well as the same time slots, but for periods two, four, and six on Tuesday and Thursday. There will be no school on Friday, December 18, and it will be the first full day of the winter break. School will return for second semester on Monday, January 11, of 2021. The virtual schedule remains untouched as well.

This year has been hard, but in a few weeks it will all be over, so it would be best to finish it out the best as you possibly could. That could mean a multitude of different things based on how you like to prepare for large tests. Some teachers on campuses will almost certainly be hosting virtual review sessions. Of course, every teacher has different policies, so it would be wise to ask around with people you’re comfortable with, whether it be your teachers themselves, other teachers on campus that could be holding their own virtual review sessions, or your friends, who may possess knowledge of where you can go to review material and who you can see for some last minute preparations before the final tests of the semester.

Find a method of studying that works best for you! (edited by me.)

If you’re not into that method of studying, you could also study on your own, and look through whatever textbooks, previous assignments you have completed, and notes you’ve written throughout the year to help you. You could even contact your friends or other people in the class you’re studying for to meet up with over zoom or in person. If you’re less concerned about academics, and more affected with mental hardship. You can always talk to your school counselor or groups like peer mentorship on campus. They would be more than willing to help in whatever way they can.

Just remember that finals grades are more than just arbitrary numbers, they are extremely important, and can be pivotal in determining what the remainder of your life will look like. Your grades are what will determine what college you get into, and what college you get into can help pave a path forward for what career you’ll end up having. A lot of people don’t always have the long term vision to truly understand how much an A minus as opposed to a B plus can impact you down the line, but it is an absolute necessity you do as well as you can. Good luck everyone, final exams are next week.