Students are exhausted when they are finished with finals and in need of rest after a very demanding week of exams. Instead, for a few days prior to Thanksgiving Break, students go back to learning in an abbreviated week to start Trimester 2. Most students feel that break should start right after finals, but scheduling reasons force students to come to school.
The short week after finals doesn’t feel useful for most students. Lots of the times teachers use these days for activities and don’t usually get into too much teaching. Students dread these days wishing they sped by quickly to get to Thanksgiving break.
“I don’t feel good about it at all,” says senior Joey Quinn. “I think after finals, we should have at least a week break. We’ve just been working for the past three months. Brains need a break.” He added that during those few days, “no learning gets done whatsoever.”
Some students feel exactly the same overwhelmness after all the finals. Many feel tons of pressure before taking finals, and that can take a huge toll with all the stress. Both teachers and students are doing lots of work, and much of the school does truly feel worn out.
“A lot of people probably aren’t gonna be here,” predicts senior TJ McQuillan. “And a lot of the teachers aren’t going to want to be here. So I don’t really feel like there’s a hard reason to go.”
Most students don’t feel the purpose for these days and would rather be able to rest. Athletes can get either time off or even more work in related to their sport, and everyone else–including teachers–can take deserved time off after pressure days during finals.
Students believe a break right after finals will give them a full reset and prepare for the next trimester. Everyone needs rest, students and teachers alike.
“With studying for finals, it’s very hard on us,” says senior Jonathan Osornio. “Everyone needs a mental reset.” He emphasized that taking time off would help students recover before starting over again. McQuillan also noted that time off would allow “extra sleep, family time, and training,” which would make the transition to the next trimester smoother.
A full break after finals will recharge students and give them even more time with their family and more time for their extracurricular activities.
While students want a much needed break there are reasons why we do have school right after finals. Scheduling issues and logistics are the main reasons why it’s like this.
“It’s entirely a calendar setup,” Mr. Bill Nolan, Assistant Principal of Faculty Operations, explains. “If we didn’t get that weekend, we might have to go a couple weeks into June.” As a social studies teacher, he tries to make those days worth it by doing “cool little activities” and giving students “points” for showing up and participating.
Teachers find that these days are a way to start the new trimester smoothly even though students rather be on break. Everyone is tired but some teachers are just as eager to begin break as well, but because of the scheduling it is how it is.
Still, most students find rest is better and much needed. It’s not ideal that those in-class days after Trimester 1 finals are there, but all we can hope for is that the schedule can be changed to meet our wants.
