Who doesn’t love December? The holiday season is kicked into full gear! We get to celebrate with those we love and cherish the most, which adds even a deeper meaning to this month. Christmas, New Years, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, it doesn’t matter; these days of celebration helps bring all of us together in times of need. Winter Break is at the forefront of this time period. But, before students and teachers get to that point, we all must face an impactful challenge; Finals Week. Those two words could become very unsettling for students that wish to maintain their grades. Or, some students fear Finals Week because of what this time period could bring to the table. In many cases, the week of Finals makes or breaks the semester GPA of a student, which means they need to be taken fairly seriously. Due to the added pressure, it’s not common to feel overwhelmed by these revelations.
Because of this fact, it’s important to maintain healthy practices of alleviating stresses that may occur during the final school week of 2023. However, this is often easier said than done. “I try to study as best as I can. But, the routines of studying could sometimes get the best of me,” says Michelle Arbarca, student at Buena Park High School. Just like Michelle, that sense of overwhelmingness is one that can’t be avoided. But, it doesn’t stop students from putting their best foot forward in aiming for an A! Allen Boswell, Buena Park Senior and star football player says, “Through Finals, I gotta study hard because I know what’s at stake. My most difficult experience so far was Sophomore year because I remember there being more work than the previous year, but I’ve become better at studying now”. This shows that through the struggle, there’s always room for improvement. With multiple years of Finals Week to go through, students could better their chances of success through it all with practice.
Teachers also know what the students face throughout our campus. With years of experience through administering finals, they understand the implications of this time of testing. Mr. Bench provided insight on how negative emotions could sometimes impact students. “I know of the stress because high school is so long for you guys (students). But, it’s important to still take care of your social and mental health. We (teachers) don’t want you guys to be limping to the finish line, but instead running to it”. Positive attitudes and confidence towards academics makes finishing the year of 2023 somewhat easier for students. With that, Mr. Bench identifies the importance of still staying connected with factors outside of school. It could get difficult. But, those thoughts in mind will better prepare students for a tough week of school.
Despite December being a time of love and festivities, negative aspects like Finals Week could impact the mental health of students. However, it’s important to not always look at those negative aspects. Instead, learning from past mistakes or mishaps better prepare the mentality of students who face a challenging week like Finals. And, once it’s all said and done, everyone has two deep weeks of time to relax and rewind. Just as Mr. Bench previously mentioned, keep striding towards that finish line to success!
