Finals Frenzy
With finals just around the corner, there’s tons of talk from students and teachers about what to expect and how to prepare. Surprisingly, many students on campus aren’t dreading finals season. Instead, they’re looking forward to shortened school days and a singular focus in each of their classes.
Next week, students will have a three-day school week as opposed to five. They will attend two periods a day, each being two hours long, and will be released from school at 12:50 p.m.. On Dec. 18, periods one and two will be held, on the 19th: three and four, and on the 20th, five and six.
Most finals will be held within this three day window, however zero and seventh period finals will be held this week on Thursday, Dec. 14 and Friday, Dec. 15. There are also a handful of teachers on campus who prefer to begin finals on Dec. 15 instead of waiting for the two hour period scheduled in the following week.
Principal Scott Schalde had some insight on the altered schedule, “this [schedule] is, in my opinion, the most collegiate thing we do at Morro Bay High School. When our students move on to college, their classes will be spread out the same way we hold finals. This prepares them for that, which makes me proud.”
Depending on the teacher and class, some finals will be divided into multiple parts, while others may be non-existent. It’s important to remember during finals school may get stressful for some students and that everybody functions differently. Some people may shut down when stressed, others may excel when under pressure -- it is paramount that students look out for each other during this time.
Among students and teachers, the only thing that was 100% agreed on was the best way to prepare for finals. In three simple steps: use study guides to your advantage, study past classwork and assignments on your own time, and ask peers and teachers questions about things you do not understand.
It may be nerve-wracking to raise a hand during class, or ask a question about something other people already understand, but there should never be judgment about a student taking action in their education and wanting to understand subjects better.
No matter what grade a student is in, it’s important for them to take finals seriously and try their hardest. Clara Frank, a senior at Morro Bay High School had some advice to share with the freshman class specifically, “Please study! Put time and effort into your finals. Your freshman grades matter more than you’d think they would if you plan on going to college.”
The students at Morro Bay High School impress our faculty daily. It is expected that they will do the same in this final stride before winter break. Good luck pirates!