San Pasqual High School is well into the semester and with finals just weeks away, students can already be seen prepping and stressing. Finals are an bi-annual tradition at SPHS where at the end of every semester, the school takes a couple of days of the week for all classes to take exams based on what the students have learned throughout the year.

“I consider it cumulative… finals are a way that teachers as well as the school can see whether or not we as students are actually grasping what’s being taught throughout the year.” senior Citlali Guerrero Olivo said.

Finals as it is are already exasperating for any student, but for the ones who additionally have advanced placement courses, the stress and anxiety are tenfold.

“Final preparations for all my AP classes are definitely taking a toll on me, physically and mentally,” senior Luz Ollea said.

“You have to actually understand the course work rather than just memorize it when it comes to finals in AP classes,” Olivo said about the differences from AP classes and regular ones.

“ The course work done in AP classes count not only towards finals but they also need to be remembered for AP exams later in the year,” Olivo added.

A common misconception surrounding high school is that the longer you are in it, the easier schoolwork and finals are. However, both seniors were quick to shut that claim down with disbelief. Olivio chimed in to say that if anything, finals have only gotten harder throughout her four years at San Pasqual.

“As freshman, we think that finals are super, super hard which is true at the time… but then the years go by and you learn more. Now, finals are ten times more tiring compared to when I was a ninth grader simply because seniors are given the expectation that we should be more prepared due to us having experience. It’s not always that simple,” Olivo had to say.

“Not only are finals weighing in the back of our minds, but college applications and all things related to fall [are happening] at the same time as exam so, as a senior, it’s pretty difficult trying to maintain equal amounts of time applying for universities as well as studying for finals,” Ollea added.

Preparing for finals plays a monumental part in whether or not a student passes or flops their finals.

“Use any study guides that teachers give you, review all your notes, organize study groups with friends, in the end it really does go along way towards taking exams,” Olivo advised.

“Another really important aspect that’s always super overlooked is what finals does to our mental health. I think the best thing to do is take mental breaks like eating a meal, talking to somebody, or staying hydrated so that you don’t lose yourself while trying to study for finals” Ollea strongly encouraged.