Move the Test, Give Us Rest

By Raquel Lopez

Published Spring 2025

As the last day of the school year approaches, every student at Northwest is ready to take a sigh of relief, yet instead, we are faced with the dread of 20 percent weighted exams. 

From May 20th to 23rd, high school students will spend their last days of school taking semester exams, trading their relaxed endings of the year for the distraught and anxiety-filled finals. 

“I was honestly a little angry because this year has been very stressful, and it feels like they are having us work until the very last second, not giving us a chance to breathe, Avory Goodwin, a freshman, says. The last day should be a laid-back day, just for people to hang out and a day to say goodbye to teachers and friends. It’s a little impractical in my opinion.” 

It’s robbing students of the closure, celebration, and a chance to decompress from the whole year. Rather than getting to say their goodbyes, sign yearbooks, and bawl their eyes out, they have the burden of stress, worry, and misery. In which cases, many agree with the idea of changing the day of the exams.

“If it were up to me, I would like the finals to be at least a week before the last day so when finals are over, the last day is just around the corner, and all the stress melts away, and we have something to look forward to,” Avory added. 

The administration should consider the idea of change, since it affects the mindset of high schoolers, but it also affects the academic performance that correlates with the tests. It will create a positive attitude for students that can help them thrive to their full potential. 

“It could potentially burn students out, distract some, and decrease motivation for the test, with it being on the last day before summer vacation. Which will create a negative impact on the students' grades, doing so,” student, Alexis Tompkins says.