Last week, we sat down to study for our English finals but soon realized that we did not actually know how and what to study. We knew what books the final would cover but did not know the format of the exam. The lack of information that freshmen are given about finals makes the task of studying virtually impossible. Most of our teachers have told us to start reviewing for finals, but we don’t know the material they will cover. Even now, only three classes away from the beginning of finals, we don’t have a clear idea of what they will cover.
At GDS, freshmen, sophomores and juniors all take finals at the end of the second semester. Finals can cause a tremendous amount of stress for all students, and we are observing this stress impact other freshmen and us. Unlike sophomores and juniors, most freshmen have not ever studied for finals, and many teachers aren’t supporting us in the studying process. We have noticed that many of our freshmen peers also feel overwhelmed by the stress of finals, so we decided to interview some of them to pinpoint what specifically freshmen are struggling with.
“I felt like I was thrown into the deep end, being expected to study for the final but knowing very little about it,” freshman Avery Cooper said. She said that many of her teachers suggested studying 15 days before the exams. She added that she has never taken a final, which makes her feel even more unprepared.
Like Cooper, most GDS freshmen have never taken finals and don’t understand what they entail. We have asked our teachers for specific information about exams, but they usually dismiss our questions and say we will cover it later. Teachers should inform us about what the final will look like, especially because most of us have had no exposure to finals in the past. When teachers wait too long to discuss finals, it makes students have to put off studying until the last minute, and they can’t ask their teachers questions during the last few classes because they are busy reviewing in class. Instead, they should provide comprehensive information allowing us to study without unnecessary stress that comes with not knowing the format only a few days before the exam. Without any prior knowledge about the format, we cannot study for finals effectively.
“I haven’t begun to study because I don’t know what I’m studying for,” freshman Arlo Rising said.
With only a little over a week of classes left, some of our teachers have just started to talk about finals, while others have not mentioned them at all. However, when we are dealing with so many different things at the end of the year, we feel extremely overwhelmed. Currently, most of us are scrambling to collect our note sheets and assessments from earlier in the semester and feel that we don’t have a clear, organized path for studying. Most of our teachers are telling us to study, but we don’t actually know how to do so. We suggest that teachers begin talking about final exams at the beginning of second semester; if they started conversations about finals much earlier in the year, we would have a clearer and more individualized studying path in the future and could actively prepare for the final throughout the semester. Therefore, the burden of exams wouldn’t be so harsh at the end of the year.
“I have already struggled to manage sports, homework and my social life with finals,” freshman Shanez Benyoucef said. “I don’t know how I’m going to manage these next two weeks.” She added that her mental health has deteriorated because of the stress of balancing all her commitments.
One of the primary sources of stress for GDS freshmen is the number of commitments we take on. Though all GDS students grapple with the stresses of balancing academics and extracurriculars, freshmen have a unique lack of exposure to finals that amplifies their stress levels. Freshmen are expected to explore various extracurriculars and have a good social life, but this expectation coupled with the lack of preparation for finals makes the end of the year feel daunting and overwhelming.
Freshmen at GDS often experience significant stress due to the rigorous academic environment and the lack of adequate support from teachers to navigate these challenges. We should be told the format of the exams before we are expected to start studying; teachers should help us prepare for the final once the second semester starts; and GDS should do a better job of helping students balance all of their commitments while studying for finals.