After students return from Thanksgiving break, there are only a few weeks of wrapping up before finals week. This week of cumulative testing often comes around the corner faster than students expect, so some advice on how to manage stress can be extremely helpful.
Senior Alicia Richard joined Peer Resource (PR) last year because she found an interest in educating her peers. She feels that finals week can be one of the most stressful weeks of the year, and forming study habits is the key to her success.
“To prepare for finals week, I make study guides or make sure that I have good resources to study off of. I make sure that my desk is clean because a clean space creates a clear mind, and I make sure I have a good snack supply because I need brain power,” Alicia said.
Alicia encourages students to create positive study habits and advises them to use Tutorial time to visit teachers, which she often does to clear up any misunderstood topics. She believes utilizing the school’s support during finals week is vital, such as Tutorial or PR’s finals week contributions like The Lodge which is located in the Student Center.
“We have a Cozy Corner, which is gonna be in The Lodge in the Student Center during the week before finals week, and it’s a little corner where kids can take study breaks,” Alicia said.
PR offers other resources during finals week at Archie Williams, including peer mentoring and Wellness. Alicia wants students to utilize their support throughout the stressful week.
“Peer mentoring is offered year-round, so if someone ever needs help they can always get hooked up with a peer mentor, or just go to the Wellness Center, or go to the Wellness Center with a peer mentor,” Alicia said.
Students put a great amount of pressure on themselves for their final tests, as those often have the largest influence on their grades. Beatrix Lawson works in the Wellness Center and often helps students who feel emotionally overwhelmed during finals week. She feels that it’s important to be emotionally and physically organized, and the Wellness Center is a great place to take a break.
“I mostly ask students, ‘Do you want to talk about it? Do you want a distraction, or do you just need some space?’ And so depending on what the students want, if their teachers are okay with it, they can work on some of that stuff here,” Lawson said.
Senior Class President Audrey Poster agrees that finals week is extremely stressful, especially as a senior who is dealing with the Advanced Placement (AP) exams. She has also felt stress from tests affect her mental health and reminds students that mental health is of the utmost importance.
“You also need to take time for yourself and realize that finals school and grades aren’t everything. Your mental health matters,” Audrey said.
Audrey is a part of the Archie Williams Associated Student Body (ASB) and has helped create resources for students that can help motivate good study habits, along with the other Archie Williams leadership programs.
“There are so many resources on campus to help you study. We have AVID, we have peer tutoring, counseling, all to make sure you manage your workload and take advantage of your resources.”
Archie Willams offers a lot of support for their students throughout finals week, and seasoned high schoolers are willing to shell out tips to prepare well for the upcoming week. Finals week, the week of Dec. 18 through Dec. 22, should be a breeze if students utilize their resources and seek support.
