Now that the fourth and final quarter of the school year has arrived, the ultimate undoing of hundreds of students is fast approaching. That’s right, it’s time to brace yourself: AP exams are coming.

But fret not! Just because all your friends and loved ones participating in the tests will be obliterated doesn’t mean you have to face destruction as well! With proper preparation, when the end of all things falls upon you with the full force of a thousand angry Free Response Questions, you will be ready.

“How,” you may cry out in desperation, “could I ever survive this armageddon?!” Well, there’s good news and bad news. The bad news is that it will not be easy to get your shining passing score. But the good news is that YOU CAN DO IT. Hundreds of students have succeeded before you, and they await your arrival in AP Valhalla.

Two-time AP exam veteran Dave Mercier said that the best way to prepare for an AP exam is to “Participate and listen in class.” Similarly, Katherine Reardon, senior and AP test savant, said that her secret to defeating the exams is “writing and re-reading notes.”

Taking a test that you know nothing about is a sure way for failure! Don’t sleep through class and don’t zone out! Stay focused! “Learn what you can, but realize that if you haven’t learned it there’s no point in stuffing yourself the last day,” adds Mercier.

Ms. Tarter, Bob Jones’s AP Calculus BC teacher, suggested, “Practice old free response questions which are posted on The College Board’s website. Review basic skills and formulas from the class.”

AP Chemistry teacher Mr. Elegante advised students, “Spend at least on day going through the vocabulary of the ecam. Calculate, explain, justify, etc.” Make sure you know what the questions are asking you before you answer them! You don’t want a simple misunderstanding to stand in between you and your beautiful college credit.

Both Ms. Tarter and Mr. Elegante agree that a good night’s rest is paramount to your ability to combat the trials of the exam. “Staying up late trying to cram the night before the exam is probably the worst thing you can do,” said the former.

And, of course, the most important thing: breakfast etiquette. Protein is key. AP exams are not known for their brief durations, so you will need something to sustain you through your long and laborious test. According to Mr. Elegante, a proteinous breakfast will “raise glucose slowly and maintain that level,” providing your brain with maximum energy.

You will need to know when your test is in order to take it. If you don’t already know, find it on the AP Exam Schedule.

“Don’t stress,” said Mercier when asked for advice for first-time test-takers. “Stress is the devil. Be chill. It’s a test so it’s not fun, but don’t make it worse than it has to be.”

Reardon stated, “It’s difficult but doable. Remember, you are being compared with thousands of people. So crap is relative!”