AP season has finally concluded, and the exhaustion from studying is setting in as classes begin to wrap up for the year. Whether balancing five APs or just one, the pressure to perform well on the exams can be felt across the student body. On top of this, many non-AP classes cannot fully accommodate students faced with exams, which makes staying on top of assignments more difficult than ever. Despite the downpour of distress, May marks a beacon of hope for all: the rapidly approaching conclusion to the school year.

Once the exams that students have been preparing for all year are over, the tension will swing back to equilibrium, where the unparalleled sense of relief prompts the question: what now? With a hint of irony, May is mental health awareness month, so such accomplishments deserve now more than ever to be celebrated. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to award the effort put into APs.

A good way to reward oneself for finishing an AP exam is to take the time to enjoy a treat. Baking a cake, cookies, brownies or any fun dessert is a way to remind yourself that you can accomplish some pretty sweet things. If baking is not your strong suit, there is nothing wrong with taking yourself out on a date to your favorite bakery or restaurant.

For those who had a study group to prepare for their exams, or even those who simply have friends who took the same APs, it would be a great way to celebrate the end of May by awarding everyone’s hard work with a small party or hang out. Even going out and spending time with everyone would let them know that their efforts were appreciated. You could go out to the mall, a restaurant, or even a local community event with your friends to acknowledge the work put in throughout the year.

AP classes are widely considered the most time-consuming courses at school. As the pressure and workload drop, many are presented with a precious opportunity with more time on their hands. During this time, don’t be afraid to give in to your temptations to sleep or relax, which is needed in order to recharge after exams. Free time can be used in a variety of creative and fun ways, so why not use the opportunity to pick up a new hobby, learn an instrument or a new skill?

Burnout is a real problem among high schoolers and makes it difficult to keep up with classes and personal responsibilities, so it is more important than ever to do things to remind ourselves that we can achieve great things.