I sit over my desk, more stressed out than ever, studying for hours on end for final exams. As I study, I can’t help but wonder why I’m being tested on material that I’ve already studied for and shown that I know. I’ve already taken the tests and passed them all. Yet here I am, forced to study for material that’s been learned, feeling like I’m only measurable as a grade. How am I supposed to succeed if I’m not able to show what I’ve learned and not just memorized?

As a student, I wish school was more focused on actually learning and understanding material at my own pace rather than memorizing and cramming information that may be of no importance to me later on. Finals, not surprisingly, are at the epicenter of this theme of memorization. They make a student feel like nothing more than a grade, which could be a grade that doesn’t reflect what the student actually knows and moreso, what they’re actually capable of doing.

Hours of studying. Days of testing. Weeks of stress. This is the life of a student taking finals. The most stressful part of a student’s school time may only occur Monday through Thursday-less than three hours worth of testing each day-but the effects of finals last much longer, and reveal an underlying issue in our school systems.

Naturally, students are highly critical of school. From classes assigning too much homework to how unappetizing lunch room food is, there are a variety of things to critique in a school day. However, none seem to be as frustrating as final exams are. I mean, really. What’s the point of having these tests that count for so much of your grade?

If students do not get the material they find difficult the first time around, there is no way that they will be able to understand it during finals week. With five six, or even seven other tests on their mind, each filled with four month’s worth of education, studying material becomes more of a giant game of Memory and less about actually learning. It’s only causing unknown stress for the student, and this kind of thinking isn’t beneficial to the student whatsoever.

However, I don’t think that schools should get rid of finals completely. Instead, students should choose what they want to do for their final, such as a project or essay. Some students may want to take a multiple choice test, but shouldn’t be forced to take a test they don’t want to considering they’ve already taken it. Students should have to show what they know, yet complete the final so that they feel comfortable and not have to spend hours studying for material they’ve already learned and been tested on. By choosing what they want to complete for their final, students will have a better way of proving what they know and get to showcase their growth throughout the semester.