Last year may have ended but ADM’s first semester is in high gear as students and teachers prepare for and take semester tests. Semester testing will take place Tuesday, January 10th – Thursday, January 12th. 

We all know semester testing can take a toll on all of us, but each student handles it differently. I hit the hallways to find out how students studied and prepare for semester testing. Our students seem ready to hit the books and get semester testing over with.

Sydney Bertman

Senior Sydney Bertman said, “Usually I plan out when I am going to study so I am mentally prepared. I usually study at the kitchen table with family around and TV on- it’s not quiet, but I still study.” Bertman says she is ready for the tests.

Colby Richardson

Colby Richardson, a junior, has a different way of studying. Richardson does not like testing nor does he like to study for them. When I asked him what he does to get into a studying groove, he replied, “I eat a lot of food and watch YouTube for about an hour. I push it off as long as possible.”   He added he gets mad often while studying and will take it out on his fish. His fish will “occasionally yell back.”

Kate Collins

Kate Collins says she does not study very often. Instead, she is always paying close attention in class to

ensure she understands everything. If she does study, she does not like to lug home a large textbook or a folder with a bunch of papers in it. Collins goes online and uses the website Quizlet. She will use the session her teacher sets up or one a different teacher uses with the same information. Collins said, “When I do study, I have to have a large cup of chocolate milk. Usually when that is gone, I am done with studying.”  Overall, Kate thinks her system works pretty well and will continue to use it though the current and next semester. 

Emma Lonneman

Not everyone takes studying so seriously. Lonneman said it is extremely rare you find her studying at home. I asked her if, as a senior, she is ” losing interest” in semester testing. She explained that during her freshman, sophomore and junior year she took it very seriously, but is now ready for high school to be over with.  She will continue to strive for good grades, just not as hard.

According to the APA (American Psychological Association), to get the most out of your studying you should space your study sessions, interweave your subjects, test yourself and take the hard route.  When studying for big tests, don’t take the easy way out. Plan out when you will sit down and focus on studying only.  You should place your phone or other distractions in a different location. You can set goals while you study (like getting through a certain amount of chapters) and as a reward you can check your phone or take a break.

There are many ways of studying and everyone has their own. You have to find what is comfortable for you and what works. Developing strong study strategies will help you tremendously in college and even the workforce. The sooner you learn, the better you will become.