Every year, over a three-day period during the month of December, Xavier College Preparatory students must take all their finals in order to earn their final semester grade. These three days are some of the most stressful parts of a Xavier girl’s academic year. Despite winter break being right around the corner, students have to remain focused and dedicated to scoring high! All core classes are given a designated day for their final, as each day only holds two exams. As you rise to an upperclassmen during your highschool experience, the fewer finals you have to take due to more academic freedom through electives. For the seniors, this is a stress reliever because they do not have to take as many finals, making finals week easier. Finals count as ten percent of a students grade. This percentage encourages students to work harder, as it can either make or break borderline grades. Because of this, students find themselves in a frantic state, cramming for their finals. 

Thankfully, study traditions have been passed down through generations of Xavier students. One way that Xavier students can study for finals is by completing the study guides provided by teachers, in paper form or in a post onto Canvas. Teachers know that with all the material taught throughout the semester, it can be hard to navigate your way through studying. Some teachers graciously gift their classes with a thoughtfully specific study guide. The best way to utilize these study guides is by handwriting the answers in a notebook. Psychologists through the American Psychology Association have done research that proves handwriting allows the writer to process the information at a much deeper level, ultimately creating a more efficient memorization task.   

Xavier College Prep has a tight community among the students. We encourage everyone to succeed. One study habit that is widely popular among Xavier students is making flashcards through Quizlet, or sharing notes and information through a Google Doc. Sharing study tools has become almost a tradition at Xavier! Flashcards are a good study tool because they allow students to test themselves at home or with friends at school. A shared Google Doc is also great as this allows a group of students to divide study guides and add the most information possible in order for everyone to pass with flying colors. 

Araceli Lopez 20’ says “For finals this year, I usually like to study using Quizlet because I receive new information from different people that may help me on the test.” 

Although all of these study tricks are important, the most crucial part to acing your exam is getting a full night of sleep the night before. Sleep allows the brain to repair itself and better process and store information learned that day. Once you get a fabulous nights rest, eat a healthy breakfast! There is a reason people say “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!” Breakfast is crucial in re-fueling the body with energy and nutrients and serves as a great kick-start to a great day of test taking. 

Good luck on your finals!!!