Max Appell ’18

Why fix something that isn’t broken? It may be a cliche, but it’s true. The new midterm schedule takes everything that was already stressful and makes it ten times worse. Having to wake up earlier, stay after school later and undergo an hour long break with crowded halls and panicking study sections is not a recipe for success.

I understand the administration is trying to make the experience less stressful but a 50 minute break in between the two tests will make me and most people more restless and nervous. The library is a wave of anxiety where you are lucky to get a quarter of a seat anywhere during this time.

The break activities seem a little ridiculous. Swimming class is usually dreaded by students and an open swimming pool will not be used. I know I would not be able to do yoga and calm down when I know what I have to face in the next hour. No students will want to workout for an hour in between two of the most mentally draining tests of the year.

I appreciate the effort that is being made into creating a more relaxed environment, but I think there is a better way to go about this. Things such as allowing students to make their own midterm schedule, allowing students leave the test location after they finish or not have to go into a class if there is no test to be taken could be implemented to help lower the stressful time.

James Allot ’17 also created a petition to reverse the changes made to the schedule and has 395 supporters. As of now, no acknowledgement of the petition has been made by the administration.

Mr. D’Amico also made a change to the original schedule that will now have school starting at 8 o’clock again and not 7:45. He also decreased the amount of break time by ten minutes. This was due to the responses he received on a survey he emailed to the entire school.

Overall, midterms will always be a stressful time but there are things that can be done to minimize that stress. This new schedule does the complete opposite and makes a student’s anxiety skyrocket.