As finals draw nearer and nearer, the overall high school atmosphere quickly becomes more weighted down with stress. 

With many final grades riding on a single exam, the collective stress of the AHS students becomes almost tangible; however, it does not necessarily have to be that way. 

With the stress that finals bring, there are always ways to combat those nerves to make finals week much more bearable. 

One way to diminish stress levels is to simply be a decent student.  If a person turns all their assignments in on time and puts a fair amount of effort into the class for the semester, the final exam is less likely to completely demolish their grade. 

If someone never puts in any effort for the class but chooses to do well on the final, their final grade will most likely not pull their grade up.  But if a person puts effort into their work, yet doesn’t do too well on the final, then they are still likely to pass the class. 

While finals do hold a significant weight, most of the time, it will not determine the final class grade if one chose to put the work in for the class.  

However, even for the best of students, finals can still bring a ton of stress.  In most cases, the thing that best reduces the stress surrounding finals week is self care. 

Read a book!  Books offer a temporary escape from reality to be on your own, and as Catherine Mohlman says, “You are alone, and nobody disturbs you.” 

Sometimes all a person needs is a little adventure or mystery in their life to give their brain a break.  

Movies also offer a type of escape for the mind, though it may not be as engaging as a good book.  Movies are better for the people who have less time and want to experience an entire story plot in one sitting, start to finish, rather than a fragment of a plot in that same amount of time. 

Another way to relieve stress is delving into nature.  Going on a walk or taking an evening to be physically active can truly be rejuvenating. 

Sometimes, disconnecting from electronics for a few hours can make a world of a difference.  It’s not hard to appreciate nature’s beauty by stopping and smelling the roses.  

Freshman Avery Anguiano encourages students to connect with nature because it relieves the most stress for her, “I enjoy nature because I think nature is really soothing and it’s nice to be in, and it relieves stress the most for me.”

Appreciation of nature is always an option to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the world, but cooking can also be a creative escape. 

Whether if you know how to cook or not, cooking can be a fun activity to relieve stress.  It can also be a perfect opportunity to try something new or make something better.

Art, though much less tasty than food, is another way to funnel out that stress.  There are an infinite number of art forms.

Anything can be considered art.  There is no good or bad in art because everything can be viewed with a unique perspective.  

Whether it be reading, watching a movie, connecting with nature, cooking, or art, it’s not difficult to find a way to disconnect from the stressful reality of finals.