The finals of school have to be the most daunting part of school, as they can make or break your grade. Literally. Finals are 20% of your total grade, so bombing them would instantly drop your overall grade by an entire letter or possibly two. No wonder they are stressful; all your hard work maintaining your grade all semester can be snapped out of existence by a single test, project, or portfolio. 

So how do you cope with stress? And maintain the grade you so rightfully deserve?

Here are some tips and tricks on how to do so:

My Tip 1 – Put things into perspective.

If you are stressing about how difficult studying for the final might be, put it into perspective. Think about how much time it probably would take for you to complete the study guide or review a chapter. When you do this, it might make you realize that the study guide/chapter isn’t going to take you as long as you think. This is a very good way to relieve stress.

My Tip 2 – Calculate your grade and think about weight.

If you’re stressed over a particular grade, think about how this grade fits into the overall grade. If you have a good grade already, you might have some wiggle room with this particular grade.

Here are some of the ways other students can cope with finals:

Julia Schwartz, a freshman, shared, “I just tell myself I’ll be fine and pay attention in class.” This is actually pretty effective, as it can calm you down. The only thing, though, is that it is not for everyone; it sometimes does not work and can have the opposite effect.

Aaylah Stoops, a freshman, said, “I listen to music and enjoy it and take breaks, usually watching videos that make me happy.” This is a very good way to get through the Finals, as it can really calm the mind, even though you are not studying, you are calming down TO study, which can help out a lot.

Prepping for finals is about preparing and staying calm. The more effort you put into the semester, the less stress the final will be. Of course, if you’re in trouble with your grade now, you may be more stressed than usual. Sending thoughts and prayers…