It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but only after the worst. That time is now. The end is nigh. Finals are upon us all. For many freshmen, the reality of high school has finally set in. For the seniors, it’s another milestone in the countdown until May 25, when they can finally be free. For those in between, it’s just that time again. One thing is for sure: for everyone, it’s serious.

Students are visiting the final grade calculator online to see what they need to score to keep a satisfactory average. Mental calculations are abounding as kids run through priorities in their head. Should I redo that one incomplete or should I make up the missing homework? Should I study for one class more than the other? There is too much work and too little time.

Once Warriors start to realize this, the panic sets in. Depending on the breed of student, the reaction varies. Teachers are bombarded with appeals to repair grades. Some students stop caring, and others show more productivity than they have in the past several months combined. Then there are the overachievers, who will undoubtedly ace every exam, but can still be seen poring over textbooks, making flash cards, and mumbling vocabulary under their breath in the back of the classroom. The rest are the classic procrastinators, who will promise themselves that they will be studious this time, but will wait until the night before, as always, to even start thinking about what they have to do.

“I haven’t even started studying,” said sophomore Nailah Willoughby. “I can’t until I finish all of my other work, which is piling up.”

“All I’m doing is studying,” said sophomore Gwyneth Smith. “It’s so much to know, so much to memorize.”

Trying to memorize every piece of information learned in all eight classes since August can be daunting. Even thinking about the exams can be. But what many kids forget is that finals week can actually be relaxing, in a way. Exams are two hours long, providing more than enough time for those who often have to rush on tests in normal-length classes. The periods where the tests are not being taken are known for turning into free periods where everyone is in a good mood, whether they’re using the extra time as a study hall, a time to talk, or play cards. And when it’s all over, there is nothing more satisfying than barreling out of school in a stampede, knowing that the holidays are near, school won’t be in until after the new year, and that when you come back, all grades are a clean slate.