Relieving Stress of Final Exams

According to the AHS website, second semester exams of the 2017-2018 school year will begin May 30, 2018 for seniors. The freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will start their exams Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at 7:30am.

AHS seniors take exams a week before the underclassmen because they graduate a week early.

A way to help prevent stress is exercising and to get outdoors.

According to the World University Rankings, “Easily one of the most frustrating things about exam season is that it seems to occur just as the weather brightens up. Use this to your advantage and go out for a walk, or a run, or head to the gym or swimming pool. As well as keeping you healthy, exercise is known to boost your mood and can help to make you more productive while revising.”

Each year to help prevent stress, volunteers bring in therapy dogs to the Arrowhead library.

Bennett said the therapy dogs in the AHS library helped her relax during finals week.

“The dogs in the library is something I always look forward to. It is something that everyone can enjoy because who doesn’t love dogs? Just petting them relieves the stress and looking at how cute they are,” Bennett said. “Who doesn’t love a cute dog?”

According to Dogs Help Humans, “playing with or petting an animal can increase levels of the stress-reducing hormone oxytocin and decrease production of the stress hormone cortisol. These hormonal changes can help a nervous child feel more relaxed about reading aloud. Reduced stress can also benefit physical health. In a 2001 study, researchers found that pet-owning patients with high blood pressure could keep their blood pressure lower during times of mental stress than patients without pets.”

AHS Senior Kiley Bennett said she is not stressed about taking exams.

She said, “With this being my eighth  time taking exams I am not stressed at all. I remember freshman year always freaking out about how hard the exams would be and studying so hard for them. Now it is just a breeze. After just finishing all four of my AP tests, I am super stress free. All my hard classes are done, leaving me with only two exams to take. It is sad to think about high school coming to a close but with all of the stress I have been dealing with, with AP classes, I am ready for summer.”

Bennett took all her AP exams before the AP tests.

She said, “The reason why I only have to take two exams this time around is because before the AP tests we are required to take our actual exam. This makes more sense taking it before because we will have learned all the information, then when we are done with the actual AP test we are officially done for the year.”