Middle of school year affects students in different ways

Sydney Gard and Darby Gilliland|January 23, 2016

The end of the semester can feel overwhelming as workloads increase.

As the first semester draws to a close, students and teachers can feel stuck in the middle. While many feel stuck in Kansas, some appreciate its simplicity. Others are somewhere between a friendship and a relationship. For siblings being stuck in the middle can mean defying expectations. Those in the middle of the political spectrum discuss how moderation affects their lives. Firebirds acknowledge the stress of mid-year and provide finals tips. All in all, being in the middle encompasses different experiences.

No matter which grade, age or intellectual state, there is one thing the majority of students hate: finals. Finals only come around twice a year, but first semester tests are the most difficult for many students.

“It’s a very busy time of the year,” social studies teacher Aimee McLendon said. “There are holidays, other activities and I think that the weather doesn’t help any. With the gray days and the cold, I think it’s just getting tired of everything that’s going on that makes [the middle of the school year] difficult for students.”

As classes end for the semester, teachers often give more projects and assignments to help prepare students for finals and add more to the gradebook.

“At the end of the semester obviously all classes are wrapping up at the same time, so there’s extra work on top of what you would normally have,” McLendon said.

Freshmen are close to completing their first semester of high school. Having never taken a final exam before, this can be a stressful time for them. Freshman Walker Koberlein said he feels stuck in the middle of the school year and doesn’t exactly know what to expect from finals.

“It’s kind of like the hump,” Koberlein said. “You’ve worked hard already and you just want to give up, but you have to push through.” Working to keep grades up throughout the semester is the key to doing well on finals.

“It’s really hard if you get messed up at the beginning of the school year to fix that,” senior Nayoka Perkins said.

Dreary weather and holiday preparations can seem like excellent excuses for procrastination, but do little to help grades.

“Having to deal with tests and assessments as you’re trying to get ready to do holiday stuff [is difficult],” sophomore Jessica Coleman said. “[But] you have to know what you’re going over.”

When it comes down to the daunting task of actual studying, students must use resources wisely.

“Study the study guides given to you,” Perkins said. “Review all the assignments given to you through the year.”

No matter how well the first semester turns out, Perkins said, it is important to take second semester more seriously. Coleman agrees.

“Make sure that if in first semester you slacked off, try to keep up and finish the year strong,” she said.

Though finals can be stressful, McLendon emphasizes the importance of students maintaining their health and not letting the extra pressure affect their lives too much.

“[Students should] make sure that they’re taking care of them- selves,” McLendon said. “[They need to be] getting enough sleep and eating right and making sure they get some kind of activity.”

Keep work organized and know what is necessary for studying, McLendon advises.

“I think something unknown is far scarier than what you know,” she said. “If you have a list of everything that you’re going to have to do, then it’s a little bit easier to deal with.”