As we inevitably approach the end of this semester, the promise of finals lurks ahead. Students frantically search for a way to survive these exams and tests. Over the years, our classmates have developed their own methods and techniques that help make finals just a bit easier.
Veteran final-taker, Matthew Kuhl (‘25), describes one of his favorite studying methods, sharing, “I like using Khan Academy quite a bit, I watch videos and quiz myself on what I’ve learned.” Bani Chopra (‘25) uses a different strategy to prepare herself. She explains, “It’s called the ‘blurting method’, it’s where you write down what you remember from your notes, and you look back at your notes and you see what you’re missing.” Chopra says that doing this has truly helped her study for finals. Effective techniques like these can help students prepare for upcoming exams.
Whether it is technology, friends, or just everyday distractions that keep an individual from getting work done, procrastination is something that everyone faces. Jotaro Takei (‘27) lets us in on a top notch procrastination fix, “I have this app on my phone [called Opal] that blocks the apps I use most, so maybe like Tik Tok or Instagram. I can set it for a certain amount of time so I can focus on my studies.” Another student, Alma Sallstrom (‘27), takes a different approach, stating, “I like to take breaks and listen to music to make it more fun.” Either by eliminating distractions or giving the brain time to reset, anything that can help keep the procrastination away is ideal.
With all of the effort it takes, it can sometimes seem that studying for finals is more trouble than it’s worth. However, Nic Traverso (‘26) reminds us of the big picture, saying, “I think about where that studying will lead to. It will lead to a good test score, which will lead to a good grade, which will lead to a good transcript, which will help me get into a good college, which is overall my goal out of high school.” Keeping motives like this in mind can help encourage students to study.
Although sometimes the task of conquering finals can seem hopeless, there is light at the end of the tunnel. With these students’ advice and techniques, we’re confident that all Willow Glen students can ace their finals too.
