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Ruby Guerrero 0:00
This is the time of year when students across all grade levels are stressing about finals, but no one feels it quite like juniors staring down college season. Come with me a week in my life as a junior prepping for finals. Bro, you—

Yesenia Guerrero 0:14
Have a closing argument due in two days. Lock in.

Ruby Guerrero 0:29
I have to go to work today. You know, maybe I should drop out and become a beach bum like Eric said. Make enough coffee. Dude, that sucks. Oh my God, the AP Chem test. What if I get fired? I work from 4 to 7:30 at ACE today, and I really don’t want to.

Al Vita 2:26
Hey, hon, how are you?

Ruby Guerrero 2:28
I’m fine. How are you?

Al Vita 2:30
Good. How are you doing?

Ruby Guerrero 2:32
Good.

Al Vita 2:32
How was school today?

Ruby Guerrero 2:35
Yeah, I just got here. I had to use the bathroom before I clock in.

Ruby Guerrero 2:58
Just got out, and it’s freezing outside. I’m heading home right now, thinking about getting some food and probably won’t stop spending my money. Okay. Anyways, bye. I’ll see you later.

All right, we need to lock in. I just need to do some studying and some homework, because homework doesn’t stop during finals week. Not excited at all because I just got home from work, and I’m super, super tired. I’m just trying to fix my AI essay. Can you tell my tone switched? Sorry, guys. Oh my God, 67? I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m trying to fix my AI essay because my grade is a 92, and there’s very few grades in AP Lang that actually matter in the assessment grade, so I don’t want that to go down to a B.

I’m asking you to think about the law. I’m asking you to find Miss Stevens guilty of first degree—

Next day. Not going strong at all, but we’re getting there, guys. All the light is gone from my eyes. And it’s not just me dealing with it. There’s a lot of other juniors feeling the heat in the moment. If you could describe finals week in one word, how would you describe it?

Students 4:50
Rage bait.
Hectic.
Exhausting.
Hell.
Awful.
Stressful.
Sleep deprived.
Procrastination.
Depressive.
Horrible.
Horrendous.
Stressful.

Ruby Guerrero 5:05
I’m gonna crash out. And nerve-wracking.

I had a chance to sit down with Jackie Gonzalez to talk about what final prep is like for her as well. Jackie’s a junior in a number of honors and AP classes. What’s your name and year in school?

Jacky Gonzalez 5:18
My name is Jackie, and my year in school is—I’m a junior.

Ruby Guerrero 5:22
How has first semester been going?

Jacky Gonzalez 5:25
First semester has been going somewhat okay until recently, since I have been retaking a lot of my tests before finals, and I’m stressing a lot. It’s just a lot since I’m taking more AP and honors classes, but I’ll handle it. I don’t know how, but I’ll keep pushing because I know second semester can be way harder.

Ruby Guerrero 5:48
What is the final that you’re most worried about?

Jacky Gonzalez 5:52
Definitely French, because I’m at a 70. It’s a borderline D, so yeah.

Ruby Guerrero 6:01
What are you doing to prepare?

Jacky Gonzalez 6:04
Definitely going over some vocabulary from the whole school year, and probably I’m gonna go ask my teacher what she would recommend me do.

Ruby Guerrero 6:14
What are your tips for next year’s juniors during finals or during the semester?

Jacky Gonzalez 6:20
Definitely take notes on every unit. Have a little side note that you’ll keep until finals that you think is most important from that specific unit.

Ruby Guerrero 6:30
So currently, my birthday just passed, and my mom and my sister wanted to take me out to dinner. Literally all I can think about is my AI essay and the fact that I have an AP Chem final in a week, and I really don’t want to go to this dinner. I really don’t want to go to that dinner. It was definitely worth it, but I don’t want to be ungrateful, and the chairs are uncomfortable, but I’m trying not to be ungrateful.

Meanwhile, I also had a chance to talk to a parent of a junior this season. Jennifer Zurko, have you noticed more or less stress from your junior this year compared to other years?

Jennifer Zurko 7:31
I feel like I noticed more stress, but I’m not sure if it’s because mothers who have older children kept telling me that junior year is the hardest year. So I don’t know if I have that in my head and think that it’s more, or if it really is more, but it feels like it’s more.

Ruby Guerrero 7:50
How has this final season been for your junior?

Jennifer Zurko 7:54
I think it’s okay. She seems very well prepared, and she’s got pretty good classes this year, so I think finals have been pretty good for her.

Ruby Guerrero 8:08
As a parent, do you take final exams seriously?

Jennifer Zurko 8:11
Oh yes, and I ask her about them all the time, and I will help her if she needs it. Like last night, we did flashcards for Spanish, and I always check in on her and see how she’s doing with them and if she’s ready.

Ruby Guerrero 8:28
What’s the most important thing to remember during finals to make sure that you’re prepared and don’t procrastinate?

Jennifer Zurko 8:34
Do your best. Don’t stress. Try to prepare as much as you can.

Ruby Guerrero 8:47
All right, ladies and gentlemen, I would love to make this longer for you all, but I am sure I’m not that interesting. Good luck with finals, or by the time this is out, I think it’s gonna be long after finals, so I hope you did well on finals. Bye.