As the dreaded month of May arrives, the accumulation of APs, SATs, and finals all combine to become a very stressful time for students. Jean Yi, junior at Crescenta Valley High School, said, “I feel as if I’m getting white hairs from the stress from all this testing.” The reason why the stress levels exponentially increases is because of how the tests are all tightly packed into one month. The dates are separated by a few days. As a result, “it’s like the tests never stop coming,” according to Roy Kang, senior at CVHS.
Evidently, the number of tests and the close proximity between the exams are frightening. Therefore, students cope with such strenuous times in a variety of ways. Although there are multiple solutions to endure these scary times, none are easy. Of course there is the, “power through method,” according to Esther Kang and the, “procrastinate and cram method,” according to Roy Kang. The “power through method” is to simply sit down and diligently review the material for the test, while the “procrastinate and cram method” is to put off the studying until the last minute, and then try to retain all the information right before the exam. These are few of the many tactics students use today in order to accomplish their goals.
The idea of having to take tests that can influence one’s future is terrifying. Nevertheless, the tests that seem so scary are what push students. Eugene Kim, sophomore at St. Francis High School said, “It’s because of the AP tests and the SATs that I’m more diligent in my studies and greedy for those higher scores.” There are those who hate having to take all the exams listed above, while others welcome the challenge presented by the tests. The opinions on the idea of AP testing, SATs, and finals all vary, but one fact remains clear. The month of May will challenge students nationwide and will force them to new limits.
Hey David, I can definitely relate to your article! I think your article could have been even stronger if you stated more ways to “endure” the month of may. Good work!