Gavin McCann, Staff Writer

With the end of the semester right around the corner, students are getting ready to prepare themselves for the chaos of finals week. While some students like to prepare early, others prefer to wait until the last minute to start their final assignments and study for exams.

One student in particular used to start their finals preparation weeks in advance but have figured out that procrastination works the best for them.

“I used to start preparing for finals weeks in advance but over the course of the last few semesters, I have found that procrastination works in my favor,” said sophomore Zach Hillel. “When I took the exam the next day, I found that everything was fresh in my mind. As opposed to when I use to study weeks in advance, that information would be harder for me to retain. Every student is different, and it takes a little time to find out what works for you and what doesn’t.”

While Hillel  prefers to start his preparation last minute, other students have a well thought out plan in order to help keep them focused on finals.

“With finals week quickly approaching, I like to start my preparations about a week and a half early,” senior Alex Rocci said. “I sit down and decide what classes I need to study the most for and what classes that I don’t need to spend much time on. Once I have that figured out, I start to study for the classes that are more challenging for me.”

Once Rocci has a grasp on the class material he struggles with the most, he reviews the material for his easier classes, and then returns to studying for his harder classes during finals week.

While some students prefer to study last minute, the classes they take might force them to start finals preparation weeks in advance.

“Usually, I’m the type of student who will study the night before just so the information is easier for me to remember,” said Ryan Palmer, a sophomore. “This semester  I’m kind of forced to start earlier. In just about all of my classes, I have a final presentation. I’m not the best public speaker by any means so for me to do well I have to practice my presentations.”

Some students are still trying to figure out the best way to prepare for their final exams and presentations.

“I’m still in the process of figuring out what’s the best way for me to prepare for finals,” junior Noah Martin said. “In past semesters, I have tried  preparing weeks in advance, and like a lot of my friends, I have tried the classic cram until 4 a.m., sleep a few hours and then take the exam. This year I think I’m going to try something different.”

Martin plans on preparing for his exams ahead of time instead of trying to learn it all at once.

“I think that I’m going to study a week in advance and spend one hour a night studying,” Martin said. “That way, I don’t burn myself out and I am able to gradually ease my way into covering the necessary material.”