It’s time to hit the books!

Finals are approaching quickly, with Theology and Math on Wednesday; English, Foreign Language, and Visual and Performing Arts on Thursday; and Science and Social Studies on Friday.

This, of course, is a fact that every Jesuit student has probably been incessantly reminded for the past couple weeks. With all this pressure to do well and succeed, studying can become overwhelming, especially when trying to review a whole semester’s worth of material in just a few days.

To figure out how to tackle the task of reviewing for finals, The Plank asked some of Jesuit’s best and brightest how they like to study for finals and deal with the stress studying often brings.

“When it comes to study skills, the first thing I need to do is shut off my phone and delete iPad games. These are distractions that stymie you from deeper understanding of your material because it is constantly drawing you away from your work,” said Will Roberts ‘18, senator of the Latin Club. “Also, people eat sugary foods or drink caffeine drinks to stay awake while studying or taking their test, but it will make you so frenetic that you cannot even focus or get anything done. I recommend tea with a small amount of sugar because it gradually keeps you awake without all the jittery side effects and crashes of sugar and caffeine.” 

In addition to decreasing distractions, various methods can help you study. When the crunch time begins, try emphasizing organization in your study habits.

“In order to study for finals, I try to clean up my workplace; it helps me focus,” said Patrick Chen ‘17, co-captain of Jesuit’s Science Olympiad team. “Something that I always try to do is review previous tests and quizzes. I also hit up Quizlet for memorizing Spanish vocab and [chemistry] formulas. Mostly, studying for finals is just staying diligent and not freaking out. If I feel like I’ve really outdone myself, I will go to Chipotle for a burrito bowl.”

Food is always a great motivator for studying, and prioritizing subject is crucial in preparing for finals.

“The key is making a schedule. I decide which classes need the most work then study accordingly. Then, each night before my tests, I study intensively on the next day’s subjects. If you need motivation, Sour Patch kids can work as a sweet reward system,” said Marco Lee ‘16, co-captain for Mock Trial.

Good luck Marauders! Study hard and just remember: a few more days of hard work and Christmas break will be here!