For many students at Ladue, finals week is dreaded and stressed over. The pressure of taking multiple exams in a short period of time causes students to go into a frenzy, studying furiously for their tests. And as the school semester winds down and finals season goes into full swing, stress and nervousness begin to set in. However, finals are necessary because they prepare students for the real world and give them a complete understanding of the material that they’ve learned.

It is a widely known fact that students often cram study for finals tests. Studying into the late hours of the night, students push themselves to the limit trying to cover all the materials they learned that semester. It goes without saying that cramming for tests places an unhealthy amount of stress on the brain. When the brain is overworked, feelings of frustration, fatigue, anxiety, and even confusion are increased. Even though these health effects can negatively impact students, the experience prepares them for adult life. Oftentimes in the real world, one has to work hard and persevere through harsh and even unfair conditions. By challenging students and pushing them to perform their best, finals give students priceless experiences that will prepare them for the real world.

Lastly, finals are necessary because they allow students to make connections between the topics they learned over the semester. Throughout the semester, students take countless tests, quizzes and do projects to show their understanding of a topic. These assignments track and assess a student’s progress over the course of the semester. One might say that the need to take a massive final exam at the end of the semester is not needed because the teacher already knows the student’s ability. Although that may be true, the purpose of finals is not for the teacher, but instead to benefit the student. By studying and reviewing a semester’s worth of material, students are able to make connections between units and achieve a comprehensive understanding of the subject. And through a complete understanding of the subject, the hard work that students put in through the semester is not gone to waste because they’re able to take away a complete picture of the subject area.

Finals are a tradition every year at Ladue and they’re there for a reason. Ladue students gain valuable life experience and holistic knowledge from finals and afterward, they can enjoy and look back upon an amazing school year.