Why finals should be before Winter Break

As we vacation in remote spots around the world or sit at home in our beds drinking hot chocolate, the last thought that comes to mind is school. Or at least, that’s how it should be. Having finals before Winter Break gives students the chance to relax and allows them to do well on the tests.

Holidays should be a time for destressing away from intense classes and the everlasting worry of grades. This is especially true for winter break as it is the longest time we have off from school. Because finals are after the break, students are forced to study or risk being at a disadvantage while they should be relaxing and celebrating the holidays. This also causes a lack of physical activity and social interaction, both of which are very important for the health of teenagers.

Having finals before winter break also presents students with an academic advantage on the tests. After continuously being in the school mindset, students are mentally ready for the large exams and as a result, are more likely to do well on them. However, in the system currently in place, students come back to school with messed up sleep schedules and relaxed attitudes that will only harm them during their finals. Some may argue that the break presents an opportunity for students to study, but as most of us know, that never really happens. We spend most of the two weeks browsing the internet, watching movies, and sleeping rather than paying attention to the piles of school work. Winter Break should be about relaxing, having fun, and enjoying moments with friends and family during the holiday season, and studying is a direct contrast to that.

Additionally, holding finals before the break allows students better access to teachers and their peers. In the weeks leading up to the big tests, students will be able to work with their teachers and classmates instead of being stuck at home with no way to get their questions answered. With only a week after break to prepare for finals, teachers spend the days cramming all the information their students lost over the two weeks while students spend their nights reviewing and preparing for the tests. This has been a recipe for disaster, causing sleep-deprived teenagers to become more and more stressed out about the finals they are unprepared for.

Having finals before winter break presents a wide variety of advantages to students trying to score well on them and allows for relaxation and destressing, which is what should be happening during the break instead of studying. The holidays are about enjoying ourselves and having a good time, but the constant pressure of finals is a barrier to that.