Preparing for tests has never been a particular highlight of a Dub Friday Night. With a return to in-person school, memorization and a change in study habits are keeping some students busier in the books than they have been in nearly a year and a half. Some claim that the transition from couch to classroom was smooth, while others are finding it tough to balance Quizlet sets with clubs, sports, and social activities.

The road to in-person school has been bumpy on several fronts, with many students feeling the weight that the added responsibility of studying is bringing to their daily lives. Prior to 8-hour days in a NAHS desk, Dubs were taking it easy with extra time provided by an eased workload and less stress used to memorize and recall information. Subtract the A/B block schedule from the mix, and 4 virtual classes a semester were leaving students in a chill study mode. “Studying was rarely an issue virtually,” said junior Mia Hsu. “We had the resources at our fingertips, and the information was easy enough to comprehend.”

However, the struggle with grades is real for some students back in the building, particularly those who are entering high school for the first time. Freshies have enough to worry about with fighting for a spot in the elevator or forgetting where their classes are. When you add the pressure of an in-person atmosphere to the plate of a nervous new Dub, worry ensues. “The urgency to study wasn’t constantly looming over my head virtually,” said freshman Annabelle Haines. “Now that I’m in person, I can feel the stress building.”

Students aren’t just battling an internal memorization war. Teachers also made the shift from virtual school to in-person learning, and are working with students to make the transition to paper testing and a heavier workload easier for stressed-out students. “I don’t think teachers are being overly strict, and they are definitely helping us out with the tricky adjustment from online learning to the atmosphere of the building,” said junior Sophie Haines. 

As far as keeping the unit circle and those ever-important historical facts in our head, some students are keeping their virtual tricks in their back pocket as they enter face-to-face learning. From online simulations to millions of websites, an increasingly technological student body uses what they have grown accustomed to in an attempt to make painstaking memorization a tad bit easier. “I have used Quizlet religiously so far this year,” said Hsu. “I even read the flashcards out loud to myself to really get the information stuck in my brain.” 

Studying, testing, learning, oh my! Despite academic challenges that have faced Warriors throughout the pandemic and into in-person learning, the resilient student body always finds ways to forge ahead. Whether that be through the adoption of well-loved virtual habits, or some stress-induced late night cram sessions, our Dubs know how to work like a Warrior.