By Catherine Orr ‘22 and Dina Drogin ‘23, Commentary Editors

As we transition into December, holiday cheer should be in the air. But in the halls of Newark Academy, the excitement is masked under a less cheerful feeling: the impending stress of exams. The weeks leading up to winter break are a notoriously polarizing time. On the one hand, students are excited about our upcoming holiday plans and relaxation. On the other hand, we’re often swamped with end-of-semester assessments, consequently torn between celebrating the seasonal joy and cramming for tests, essays, orals, and other assignments. We had a nice break from exams last year during COVID, and while our return to normalcy is exciting, our return to exams is not met with the same enthusiasm. This week we went around asking NA students for their thoughts…

When asked how she felt about exams this year, especially after our break from them last year, Kaya Rajparia ‘22 said, “While I think the intent of exams to help prepare us for college is important, they put a lot of pressure on students, especially for 11th and 12th graders because we already have a busy end of the term.” Another senior, Ryan Kim, says, “Exams happen at a poor time for us seniors, as that’s when many early college decisions come out.” Other students, such as sophomore, Alexa Jacob, say they are “nervous because the exams are worth more and cover more material than normal tests.” When asked to describe their feelings about exams in one word, most freshmen responded with: “stressed.”

Nevertheless, exams are not going away anytime soon. To combat the stress looming in the hallways, we asked Mr. Stilliard, a humanities teacher, and Mrs. Taylor, a math teacher, for their best advice on how to succeed on your midterm exams:

What is your general advice about exams? 

Mr. Stilliard: Have a plan. Organize your time so you can work smart and work efficiently, which also means giving yourself down time. Cramming the night before just doesn’t work. If you’re not done by ten o’clock the night before, that’s when you have to stop preparing because after that point you’re not helping yourself; it will become counterproductive.

Mrs. Taylor: Take some time to collect tests and quizzes you’ve taken over the course of this semester. Get all of those organized and look back on the questions you’ve understood and the questions that have stumped you. Make sure you understand how to complete both. 

Do you have any specific advice for the freshman and sophomores because, for many of them, this will be their first time taking exams?

Mr. Stilliard: It’s all mental. The fact is that you’ve been preparing for these particular exams all semester, and if you focus on mastery: mastery of skills, mastery of content, mastery of the concepts, then the grades take care of themselves. 

Mrs. Taylor: It’s just like a regular test, just a little bit longer and assesses a wider variety of topics. Don’t worry too much, but go into it prepared and confident. Have lots of sharpened pencils, bring a big eraser, and ask for scrap paper if you need it.

Do you have any specific advice for people doubling up on humanities or math classes and taking three exams?

Mr. Stilliard: Pace yourself.  Take care of yourself mentally and your state of tiredness. There also may be some similarities between both humanities exams in terms of skills and how you prepare.

Mrs. Taylor: Start sooner rather than later. If possible, start studying over the weekend. Talk with your teachers and make a plan.

Do you suggest reviewing the night before an exam?

Mr. Stilliard: I would only suggest an hour. Don’t hit the books too much. You just need to make sure you are well rested. 

Mrs. Taylor: Yes. I think it’s good to look through things the night before the exam, but do not pull an all-nighter. Sleep is super important. 

Do you have any advice for your specific students?

Mr. Stillard: You’ll be fine. You’ll be successful. You’ll have no problems. 

Mrs. Taylor: Get a good night’s sleep. You’ve been working all semester for this. You’ll do completely fine.

To summarize the most important advice: stay organized, have a plan, and start early. Good luck!