As the semester begins to finish out, finals week is on its way. Finals are a stressful time for many students, and those at Tahoma High School (THS) are no different, so how do you study for your finals?

Flashcards

Flashcards are a great way to review by testing yourself. They force you to remember definitions and terms, although it is difficult to study with just flashcards for classes with difficult concepts. These may be good for some social studies classes but, may not do the job for math or science classes. 

THS Freshman Kaliea Fenton explains that she uses flashcards to study for AP Human Geography. “I feel like I remember the terms better when I use flashcards.”

Notes

While notes are a great way to get the content down in words you understand, rereading your notes is not a very effective method for studying. This being said, if you have formatted your notes with the Cornell Method, then they provide a question, answer technique that may be nice for studying.

Active Recall

Try testing yourself. Find a practice test online and take it to see how well you are learning. Actively recalling information you have learned is the best way to study. If you put yourself in a testing situation and perform well, you will likely perform better on the final.

Feynman Technique

The Feynman technique focuses on explaining concepts in simple terms as if you are teaching it to someone else. By doing this, you may deepen your understanding of the material and may open up new avenues for remembering concepts. 

Review Videos

Watching review videos is a great way to get extra practice in for classes that are highly math based such as Algebra or Chemistry. The videos may deepen your understanding of the topic and allow you to practice the skills you have formed. THS Sophomore Shriya Girish explains that she “…loves using videos to study for AP Euro[pean History].”

This is your last chance to bring up your grades and, believe it or not, it does not rely on luck. Studying for your finals is the best way to ensure you get grades you’ll be proud of.