It’s the most dreaded time of the year: exam week. Starting on Tuesday, December 16, and ending on Friday, December 19, are the first-semester exams. First and fifth period exams will be on Tuesday, second and sixth period exams on Wednesday, third and seventh period exams on Thursday, and fourth period on Friday. Every eligible student is allowed to have one class exam exemption. To be able to exempt a class, you need to have at least a 70% in both quarters one and two and have no office-level discipline for the semester. Exam exemptions are due to teachers by Friday, December 12, and students who are using the exam exemption do not have to be present during that exam time. As some reminders, you cannot exempt the same class exam first and second semesters, any CCP courses, or AP classes. When preparing for exams, students should take into account the order of their exams. Mrs. Duley, one of BHS’s counselors, stated, “Students should create a study plan where they write down and prioritize what they need to do for each of their classes. They should also be aware of the order their exams are in, so they can prioritize the closer exams.” Along with this, Mrs. Duley had countless other study tips to help students prepare for exams. Mrs. Duley stated, “Students should break down studying into smaller, manageable chunks, rather than cramming. Students should also start preparing early, have study sessions, and do the review guides assigned by their teachers.” Exams and anxiety come hand-in-hand with each other, but there are many solutions to this stress. Mrs. Duley stated, “Exams really are not bad. Students just have to look at it as one class at a time and focus on what their teachers give them to review. Along with this, students should make sure to still take care of themselves. This includes not staying up late studying and getting a good night’s sleep.” As exam season approaches, make sure to prioritize what matters and remember that winter break is right around the corner!
