Christmas break is supposed to be time set aside for students to get into the festive mode, having fun with family and friends, enjoying gift exchanges, and relaxing after tiring and stressful days in school. But for many PA students, Christmas break turns out to be a time for finals preparation due to Providence Academy’s schedule of finals shortly after Christmas break.
Having finals after Christmas break takes quite a toll on the students, for some of them find themselves stressing over their finals. For every chance they find themselves enjoying themselves, they start thinking about the tests that will be awaiting them when they are back in school. Many of the PA students have friends that have already finished their finals by the break. While teachers think they are giving students time to go over the study guides, the students find themselves hanging out with family and friends and never get the chance to study.
Not studying during break is just fine according to PA administrators. Upper School Director Dr. Kevin Ferdinandt, in his most recent blog post, encourages students to use “a significant portion of Christmas break to spend time in positive and constructive forms of leisure.” He points out that PA’s policy is to give no homework during Christmas break. If you do decide to study, Dr. Ferdinandt recommends that it be brief. He writes, “Remember, no work is required in any shape or form. All students may choose to take the entire break off.”
While relaxing over the two weeks of break is great, students can tend to forget most of what they have learned before break and it is harder for them to come back and adjust to school and be ready to take the finals.
As for me, it would be great if the finals would be before Christmas break, therefore every PA student will be done with tests and would have stress free time to enjoy with their family knowing, that once they are back to school, they’ll be starting anew.
Though this may bring a lot of changes to the teachers’ schedules, maybe it is time for a change.
Someday, this dream will become a reality. Until then, we must bide our time. Don’t worry: many people support this position, including students who have endured 4 years of the post-Christmas system (like me). Keep the hope!