Tips for Testing

May has arrived, and so has finals testing. Planning events for the summer is amazing, but first, we have to focus on finishing the 2023-24 school year strong. Towards the end of the year, students are burnt out, tired, and ultimately have little motivation to continue. Considering there are only a couple weeks left ‘til school is over, we have to muster up the last bit of energy we have to overcome burnout. In this article, I will share ways to keep your head up during testing and the last weeks of school!

1. Celebrate your achievements

With testing season comes the time to start studying non-stop. During testing it’s important to reward yourself and to recognize your accomplishments. Studying one unit of content can be rewarded with a ten-minute break; going to the library can be rewarded with a small treat. Rewards are a small way to motivate yourself and stop the workload from draining your energy too quickly. The pressure of testing and studying is already difficult, so a small reward for your achievements is a good way to recognize your progress and calm down. Planning to watch one of your favorite shows when you’ve finished your task is also a good way to do this! One downside of this strategy could be going too far with the rewards. Remember, everything is best in moderation! You know yourself better than anyone, so you should be able to determine when something becomes too distracting. 

2. Remind yourself of your goals

Throughout the last weeks of school and while testing, you might begin to doubt yourself – which is okay! The burnout has been building up throughout the year and your motivation is running low. One way I like to persevere through this is by reminding myself of my goals. For example, reading a boring chapter of a book might make you consider giving up on the book entirely, but can be mitigated if you remind yourself how close you are to finishing. The promise of an exciting finale might help you push through the chapter and continue reading. Taking tests and feeling that time goes slower and slower as the days go by is dreadful, but reminding yourself of the freedom you’ll have in a couple of weeks could motivate you. Only a couple weeks of hard work left ‘til vacation!

3. Create a schedule

In the last weeks of school, everything can be hectic. You will be completing schoolwork, finishing final projects, studying, testing, and possibly enjoying social outings( if you have the free time). Scheduling your plans for May can take some stress off your plate. Being able to visualize your schedule helps eliminate the stress of remembering times and dates. Remember to include time to relax, outings with friends, and simply time away from work and technology as part of your schedule; recovery is crucial to staying on top of your work. Don’t put too much on your plate this May; it’s already a stressful month.

Most importantly, take care of yourself!! Be patient in your studying and don’t be too harsh on yourself when you think about these upcoming tests. Good luck on upcoming tests, and congratulations to the graduating class of 2024! Have a great summer everyone!