The Cordova High campus environment during the semester’s end is normally filled with feelings of stress and impending doom.

“This year most of my teachers have decided to assign big projects instead of regular tests so it’s a lot more stressful and time-consuming,” senior Angela Gates said.

With all the other demands high school asks of its students, especially its top students, finals can perpetuate unhelpful studying techniques.

“Typically I’m studying late the night before, I’m usually pretty exhausted by the time I get home from school, my internship, and extracurricular/leadership commitments,” Gates said.

Your brain has a time limit for learning, and it’s been proven time and time again, as noted in a piece that appeared on the American Psychological Association’s website, that focusing our attention for too long can wear us out. The author emphasizes the importance of taking breaks and also notes that breaks between work sessions will boost material retention without burnout and heightened stress.

“I typically procrastinate really hard and wait until the last minute to study,” senior Emily Collins said.

Sometimes students choose to study only for their finals the day before..

“I pack in some very heavy studying. If my math final is on Thursday, I’ll only study Wednesday, but I’ve got the whole evening,” senior Emily Reuben said.

A break allows your brain to rest and recover, improving focus and cognitive function when you return. Distance from the activity can also provide a fresh perspective, allowing you to approach it with new strategies or insights.

Students at Cordova High say it is hard to continue to motivate themselves through the stressful semester end season, “It feels like I’ve just got to push through this week,” Reuben said during finals week in December. 

“It makes concentrating harder,” Collins added.

School counselors often see this shift firsthand.

“A lot of students could be excited to be done with the semester and get that break that they’ve been wanting for so long,” academic counselor Fernando Escandon said.

 “Hopefully, during the break, they’ll be able to fully recharge their batteries, mental health-wise, academic-wise, and then they’ll be ready for the following semester. Holidays are different for people across so be mindful of peers, of friends, staff members, and other students, but also do take this time to recharge those batteries.”

One action students can take to make sure the stress doesn’t consume them, according to academic counselor Chelsey Bragg, is time management. 

“I had a kid last week panicking about all the things, so we broke it down into smaller parts and made a plan for each day,” Chelsey Bragg said.

Another strategy students should utilize is the class syllabus to get a detailed understanding of course expectations at the beginning of the semester and communicate with their teachers.

“It’s a refresher once the semester restarts again,” Escandon said. “For those that didn’t do as well or didn’t get the grade that they (wanted), it’s kind of a fresh start for a lot of folks – it’s important that students do get that fresh start if they need it. It’s also nice motivation for those that did finish strong, that they can do the same thing again for the following semester.”