As the semester ends, Link Crew is preparing to help ease the stress of freshmen and sophomores who are facing their first-ever round of high school final exams. On Jan. 18, the Thursday before finals week, Link Crew is hosting a Cocoa & Cram session following school from 3:30-5:30 PM.

At Cocoa & Cram, Link Crew will provide additional information about finals week regarding scheduling and planning. “It’s a way for Link Crew leaders to connect with their 9th or 10th grade Crew members and introduce them into what finals looks like in the high school,” said Link Crew Coordinator and biology teacher Ryann Longley said.

The current freshman and sophomores were at the middle schools last year and often had finals scattered near the end of the semester. The date of a final test depended on their teachers’ scheduling. At the high school, each weekday is arranged with specific finals based on your class schedule; this year, the finals schedule is different from past years, due to the seven period schedule.

The Cocoa & Cram event will be held after school for two hours starting in the cafeteria. The freshmen and sophomores will be greeted by Link Crew leaders, served hot cocoa, and given an overview of the schedule for finals week. Afterwards they’ll head into different flex spaces, each with a designated subject such as math, science, or English. From there, the students can receive free tutoring from leaders and work with classmates. Prior to the event, Link Crew leaders will be split into their corresponding area of expertise and assigned to a specific flex area. For example, a leader who takes AP Chemistry could be assigned to volunteer-tutor chemistry students. Link Crew will provide, “a survival guide — don’t cram the last night for your final, pace yourself, and figure out what’s on your final so you know what to expect,” Longley said.

Link Crew’s Cocoa & Cram provides the ideal opportunity for the freshmen and sophomores to achieve success during finals week. “Come, the high schoolers know what finals are all about and they can help you. It’s not scary, and you get hot chocolate,” senior Link Crew leader Catherine Snow said.