After spending months endlessly studying for tests and laboring away at homework, students look forward to relaxing during winter break. The holidays are generally regarded as a period of recreation and tranquility. However, this is certainly not the case for CHS students. Since finals are scheduled about three weeks after the end of vacation, individuals find themselves reviewing an entire semester’s worth of material throughout the break. This ubiquitous yet rather unnecessary problem can be avoided if final exams were scheduled before winter break.
Unsurprisingly, most students want to spend their vacation free of any obligation related to school. If final exams were completed before winter break, this could actually be a reality. Rather than completing that precalculus review packet, reading assigned literature, or practicing Lewis dot diagrams, one could spend their time enjoying themselves with friends or family. After all, it is called a “break” for a reason.
Yet this does not suggest that students must rid themselves of any educational influences whatsoever. As a result of not being occupied with finals, individuals at CHS would have more time to explore academic and volunteering opportunities. For example, college-bound juniors could visit universities that they may be interested in attending. Students could also participate in unique enrichment activities and passion projects that are usually neglected due to time occupied by school. With homework and studying taking up a large of part of break, students do not have the time to partake in such recreation.
The largest concern with having finals before the holidays is that it grants less time for students to prepare for said exams. However, by pushing back final exams, schools also begin the school year earlier in order to have the required number of school days. Some may groan at the thought of starting school earlier for it deviates from usual tradition. However, it is a change that other school districts including Bonita and Covina Valley have been willing to make. Additionally, most universities schedule their finals before the holidays. College students do not receive a vacation period before their final exams. In a school system that attempts to prepare individuals for college, final exams should be scheduled in the same way.
Winter break is a time of numerous opportunities squandered by the unneeded occupation of first semester obligations. It is simply beneficial to schedule final exams before vacation, rather than arbitrarily making the holidays a time for studying. Students could spend so much of the studying time doing as much or as little as they please.