In the past week, finals have come to an end at Edison. During that week, students crammed studying sessions and tutoring into their schedules to ensure their better performance on the exams.
Before finals, students had the time to fully engage in afterschool activities without having to strictly prioritize studying. Finals have impacted most of the student body, from increasing stress to getting less sleep, affecting many students’ mental health due to expectations and pressure from peers or family.
Students from different years described how finals week forced changes in their customs. For some, balancing school responsibilities with personal time became more difficult as exams approached.
“Finals week has impacted my daily schedule because there are certain things I can’t do after school just to get home earlier to study for my next final,” said Arianna Persaud, a junior at Edison.
Along with schedule changes, the amount of material covered on finals added to student stress. Especially after enjoying a long break, many students reported feeling overwhelmed by the volume of content they were expected to review in a short period of time.
“I’m more stressed for my medical assisting final because there will be five chapters of material on the test, which means a lot more studying before I take it on Wednesday,” Persaud added.
Time pressure during exams was another challenge students faced. Some students said they felt prepared for the material but struggled to complete their exams within the time given.
“I would retake my English final because I didn’t get to finish it after running out of time,” Persaud said.
Freshmen also experienced the pressure of finals, though their challenges differed. Adjusting to high school expectations while preparing for cumulative exams created new tension for these students.
Freshman Bushra Tuba described a different experience during finals week, explaining that the exams affected her customs more than her daily routine. “My finals impacted my sleep schedule, but it really didn’t affect my daily schedule as much,” the student said. Science exams appeared to be the main source of stress for first years. The same freshman noted, “The most stressful final in my opinion was my earth and space science final.”
It was seen that teachers saw this common anxiety among students during finals week. From the teacher’s perspective, the classroom environment has a role in how students perform. Math teacher Ms. Cinque said finals week did not affect her schedule. “No effect; it was just like a regular test,” she said.
Recently testing formats have been changed to mimic the regents, the impact differs among students. “I think it made the students more anxious, and many ran out of time,” Cinque said.
Regarding these challenges, teachers stay hopeful about student results. Cinque added that with increased test security, there were also positive changes. “Less cheating because the phones are locked up, tests are more secure,” she said.
As finals week continues to be a significant part of the school year at Edison, students and staff find their balance between academic expectations and well being. The experiences shared by students across grade levels show how finals go beyond exams, with tight schedules, more stress than ever, and daily life within the school.
