It is hard to believe November is here, it seems like only yesterday it was homecoming week. Many have already begun to count down the weeks until the semester ends, but as the weeks go by the dread of finals loom ahead. The astonishing 4 weeks until finals is both nerve wracking and exciting.
Teachers and students are beginning to think about finals and the holidays. Having two weeks off of school is shadowed by the testing during the last week of the semester. Students are beginning to stress about their grades as they are becoming more finalized while the weeks progress. “I’m really tired, I’ve gotten like 3 hours of sleep each night recently, ” says Sophomore Lily Renner.
Even though it is well into the school year, students are still adjusting to the changes from online learning to in person. “It is weird to do everything all the time, and sometimes I just want to have a break. It is exhausting, especially as a student athlete,” Lily commented when asked about how the pandemic has affected her wellbeing as a student.
For the Freshman who do not know how a typical finals week works, there are tests over four days. Monday is used as the last day to prepare for finals and is an 8 block day. On Monday, students have every class and are expected to use this time wisely and ask final questions. From Tuesday to Friday, students have two blocks per day. During this time, final tests and projects are taken and due. Monday is a full day, whereas the rest of the week is a half day. This schedule is meant to support students during this stressful time by giving many opportunities to study and finish on schoolwork throughout the week.
Thanksgiving is next week, and everyone knows the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas break is full of studying, late nights, and anxiety. Making and completing thick study guides, writing long essays, and finishing projects is what students associate December with. The harsh weight of finals determines a student’s final grade- a poor performance can turn that solid A into a B, B to a C, and so on. The stress and intensity of the beginning of December prevents many students from enjoying the holidays and the first days of winter until the end of finals.
Finals this year will be different than the last. COVID infections and quarantines affected test taking last year during finals week. “It was very rough. My entire soccer team was quarantined during finals, and it was a very stressful process having to deal with being exposed to COVID and all of the tests and projects I had to complete,” Renner reminisces.
Last year, finals were also weighted less than currently and many teachers curved test grades after poor performances. This year, there will be no cushion. Finals are typically weighted 15-20% of one’s final grade and as the pandemic no longer affects content learned in classes, low test scores will remain low and will not be curved. All of these changes are intensifying the pressure and anxiety that comes with finals. Lily admits, “I am really nervous for finals this year.”
For students beginning to feel burnt out; here is a comforting thought. At the end of this week Thanksgiving break begins, and then there are two weeks off in December. Continue to work hard and prioritize school work. The semester is almost over, so just keep pushing through finals. Once finals are over, winter break begins!