Cal High students are stressed every year at the end of the semester as they prepare for final exams.
But some students experience a bit of relief when their teachers decide to administer final exams early.
The Californian would like to see this become a more common practice so students are not as stressed and have more time to prepare for each test.
Most students have final tests or projects at the end of the semester. These are usually worth a high percentage of students’ final grade, causing an excess amount of stress.
Some Cal teachers have elected to give finals one or two weeks earlier, the school administrators can help students even more.
Administrators should implement a policy that foreign language, science, and elective classes administer finals a week before the last week of the semester. Then, social studies, English, and math classes can have their finals the last week of the semester.
Finals week is notorious for creating pressure on students that it often leads to burnout and decreased performance. But by spreading exams over a two-week period, the school would provide students with more time to prepare for each subject, resulting in better retention of information and potentially a stronger performance on exams.
The current system of having up to six, two-hour finals in three days is just overwhelming. By taking exams over a two-week period, students would experience less pressure and have more time to relax between tests. A 15-minute break between exams each day isn’t much of a break at all.
Reducing students’ stress by changing the finals schedule could also lead to improved mental health and overall well-being during what is typically a challenging time.
Plus, this new schedule should discourage some students’ unhealthy study habits, such as pulling all-nighters. It’s no secret getting inadequate sleep affects students’ mental and physical health.
Proper sleep is crucial for students this time of year. A two-week finals schedule would allow students to maintain healthier sleep patterns, potentially leading to better exam performance.
By implementing a schedule that spreads final exams over the last two weeks of the semester, the school would help students experience less stress and possibly perform better.