Study, sleep, stress: three words that might come to mind when thinking about end-of-the-year finals. Though these exams could be seen in the light of finishing the academic school year, some students may view them as a dreary hurricane approaching.

Often times, students begin winding down in their studies as the last day of school draws closer. Not only do seniors begin checking out of their high school lives and prepare to embark on adulthood, but the student body anxiously awaits to fulfill their summer plans.

During this time of year, two attitudes may develop: one of being overwhelmed with the weight of finals in every class, to the point of a mental breakdown, and one of procrastination.

While looking forward to summer is not a bad thing, The Feather Online believes that students should take advantage of the time they have to review their studies, and to set goals that they can work to accomplish. Instead of spending hours upon hours on Facebook, or stalling to do homework, students should utilize this time to study.

Although not all students aim for the goal of getting straight As, each individual can set goals in a way that will apply to themselves without being compared to someone else. When setting personal expectations, it is important that they are attainable, in order that one does not get discouraged for not fulfilling it.

One point to keep in mind is that finals are a way to display everything that you have learned throughout the school year. Whether it be lessons in history, math, English, science or Spanish, all of these can be used to harness the memories from the 2011-12 school year.

As The Feather’s adviser, Greg Stobbe, always says, “Reasons are excuses, make today a reason for success.” There will always be a plethora of excuses to give for not being motivated to study, but working hard to finish the year on a good note is something that should be sought after.

Finals count. Whether they lower your grades, or boost your academic standings, you will reap what you sow, as the passage in 1 Corinthians 9:6-8 states:

“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

If you truly apply yourself to your studies and work hard to manage your time well, you will have a better chance of recalling information and doing well on your finals. By not investing in your classes and choosing to slide by with your grades, you will not receive the satisfaction of doing your best.

Remember to balance your finals in each class. If you spend all your time studying for your English test but fail to practice your math problems, you might not be as prepared as you think.

Throughout the period of finals it is easy to become stressed out and overwhelmed. While The Feather staff believes that students should apply themselves to their education, there is also a healthy balance one should maintain both mentally and physically.

The Feather staff encourages students to take this time to reflect on the lessons you have obtained from this year and focus on applying these to your life. Finals are only a small aspect when you think about the grand scheme of high school, but when you find your personal motivation to fulfill your goals, you will be able to say, “I finished strong.”

For more editorials, read the March 30 article, EDITORIAL: Climbing the ladder of maturity.