As the holiday season approaches, students are getting ready for the festivities. Students are ready for a break as they’ve been working diligently for the past three months. As teachers prep their students for the final, students are conflicted on what the holiday season is all about. Do they focus on spending time with family and friends or do they focus on getting their borderline grade up before the semester ends? The Campo administration has made it easier for the students by not allowing teachers to assign homework over the Thanksgiving break, however, that doesn’t stop teachers from finding loopholes which leads to students still studying for their upcoming exams during the holiday break.
Despite the universally stressful time for students, many try to find ways to still enjoy the season without compromising their academics. For some, priorities tend to lean towards family during this time. Junior Shira Ayalon said, “No matter how hard [school] gets, sometimes you just have to go to sleep…sometimes it’s better to prioritize yourself and to learn to just let some things go.”
While Ayalon tries to find as much time to be with family, sometimes schoolwork is unavoidable. In order to enjoy December more with her family, Ayalon works over the week-long break. She adds, “I think using Thanksgiving break to catch up on missing assignments is a really smart thing to do.” Many students end up working through the break, whether it be homework, overdue assignments, or studying for tests in the near future. Sophomore Drew Shogan said, “I have some homework, especially for math.” Even though it is frowned upon to assign homework to students over Thanksgiving break, that does not mean that students are exempt from working during their vacations. The sudden pause before the preparation of finals causes the need for students to study or catch up for classes.
Students start looking forward to the exciting holidays which conflict with the stressful finals week. Shogan mentions, “During the week of finals I start to just want to be done with school.” Despite the mentally demanding week, students tend to get tired and just want to move on to break. Senior Cole O’Connor talks about how the excitement helps him power through finals: “I always look forward to my Hanukkah celebration with my mom’s side of the family, which is usually the week after finals, so I look forward to seeing them and that’s kind of what gets me through the week.”
As Finals Week approaches, it is necessary for students to focus on what truly matters. It’s important to not overlook how valuable it is to spend time with family and friends over the holiday. Although final exams are important, they aren’t everything. During finals, it’s crucial to remember to take breaks and take care of your mental health through the stressful times.
