As the new semester begins, Lafayette students become stressed about the challenges ahead over the next five months. New tests, more assignments, etc., that come with the new semester can cause this kind of stress. On the other hand, some students are excited about what lies ahead in the second half of the school year. Freshmen are most naive to these changes because of the drastic shift in grading between middle school and high school.
Tanvi Joshi, a freshman at Lafayette High School, told the Times, “I am looking forward to the new semester. I think that I should be fine but also a little worried about grades.” Joshi said her goal for the new semester is “To get all A’s.” Many students feel pressured to perform well, especially in the 2nd semester of school.
Mary Lovely, a freshman at Lafayette, said she “is not looking forward to this semester as much as she was the first semester because of the academic pressure that comes with it.” However, she said that the best way to have a good second semester is to stay cheerful. “I know it can be positive if I make it positive,” Lovely stated. She said that her main goal this semester was to “Focus on the things that bring me joy.” Like most students, she is using her positivity to keep her going this semester.
Camden Pryor, a freshman, explained that she was not looking forward to the next few months, saying, “I think the academic pressure of the second semester will wear me out the most.” Her main goal for the 2nd semester is “to pass.” Students are definitely thinking this semester will be a long one, as Pryor told the Times. Freshmen are new to the school, so this is definitely a nervous time for them overall.
These interviews represent the general Lafayette population, in the sense that some students look forward to the new semester because it’s a fresh start, a chance to have no missing assignments, and a way to start out with no stress or anxiety about assignments. But some of these interviews show that some people don’t look forward to the new semester because it can wear out a lot of people trying to learn all the new content, and also remember old content for tests. The new semester also comes with a lot of pressure to keep up with grades, turn in assignments on time, and do well on tests.
In conclusion, a fresh start is hard for everyone, and students are either looking forward to the next few months of school or just wanting summer to come. No matter how you feel, prioritizing your mental health should always come first. Setting goals can help you stay in check, so you feel more balanced in your mental, physical, and educational states.
