Mouth of the River

In the days leading up to midterm week, freshmen hunched over their study guides and books bracing for the countless hours of studying that would consume their nights. Some pin the stress on an older student or sibling who painted grim pictures, telling them there were tests in every class, each worth 20 percent of their grade. However, when midterm week finally arrived many discovered the reality was far from their expectations.

            For the class of 2029, midterm week marked a significant step in their high school careers, the dreaded midterm week. This was their first real look at exams covering an entire semester’s worth of material. While anxiety ran high beforehand, most students found the experience more manageable than expected.

            “I thought it was going to be really stressful and challenging,” said Katelyn Kimbal (‘29). But she wasn’t alone in overestimating the difficulty. Fellow student Ryan Keyes (’29) mentioned a similar feeling. “I was overestimating it in my head. It ended up being much calmer and less stressful than I thought it was going to be.”

            The gap between expectation and reality seemed to stem partly from warnings from older siblings. Some freshmen received frightful predictions that only increased their concerns. “My brother was saying that it was pretty bad,” recalled Sienna Pelaggi (’29). Ben Kim’s (’29) siblings told him he’d have tests in every class, when he actually only had three.

ORHS counselor, Jason Baker, explained that midterms are, “definitely scary until you experience them.” He noted that many classes don’t give traditional tests anymore, with predominantly science and math classes giving tests with more at stake. “It’s the first big, hour and a half, two-hour long test that kids have ever taken that’s counted for something,” Baker said.

            The condensed schedule seemed to be something many of the freshmen enjoyed and were grateful for, with students attending only morning exams before going home. “I liked how we got to go home. It relieved a lot of stress and I got to study,” said Pelaggi. “The half days really helped me reset and get in the right head space,” Kim agreed.

            Despite the general sense of relief, students noticed that procrastination was their biggest obstacle. “The hardest part was getting the mindset to start studying,” Kimbal explained, noting the challenge of sitting still for extended periods and then going home to just start studying again. Jesse Heaton (’29) admitted to feeling “a little bit more prepared than I actually was” and missing key topics despite good study guides.

            Baker discussed a lot about the importance of self-care during stressful periods, advising students to maintain a work life balance and avoid all night cramming sessions. “You’ve got to practice self-care,” he said. “If you don’t take time to not stress, you’re going to burn out.”

            Looking ahead to finals and future midterms, freshmen offered straightforward advice to next year’s incoming class. Bear Elliott (’29) summed it up as, “Just talk to as many people as you can and get familiar with it, because it’s not something to be scared of.”

            As the freshmen wrapped up their final exams and headed home for a much-needed long weekend to rest, they learned that sometimes the anticipation is worse than the actual event.

-Xander Ahn