My favorite time of year is Christmas time, but along with Christmas comes semester tests. Semester tests are every student’s worst nightmare. I know students who worry about semester tests from October all the way through December and then the cycle begins again around March until the end of the year in May.

Semester tests look slightly different this year, causing even more worry. I will have to take my 2nd period test on Thursday instead of Monday, so I am losing four days of studying. Thankfully that test is one of those I am least worried about.

I am very bad about procrastinating. It is a habit of mine that has gotten even worse over the last few months, especially when I was in quarantine and I waited until around 9 p.m. to do all of my homework. I have been working on changing this bad habit of mine over the last couple of weeks, hoping that it will be better when semester tests get here.
Students in English 9, 10 and 11 all have to read a book and write a report as a part of their semester tests along with a test on the information that was learned over the semester. I am reading a book about the history of different drinks across the world. The book is to be read, and the report done, by the week of semester tests, and I am only about a quarter of the way through my book because I have so much trouble trying to force myself to read. When I pick up a book to read on my own time and by choice, I find lots of joy in it, but the minute someone tells me that I need to do it, I find no joy in it.

This year I only have one opt-out instead of two, which makes my decision very difficult, because I don’t want to take any of the tests but I only have one that I can choose. I am trying to decide between Biology because science isn’t my strong suit, English so I’m not so worried about the book report, Spanish because it is a lot harder than it was last year, or my Accounting test because it has a lot to remember. In the next few weeks leading up to the tests, I will get my study guides and use those as a deciding factor on which I decide to opt-out of.

The days of semester tests at the high school are serious but at the same time, they are relaxed. The class periods are all an hour and 30 minutes long. The tests usually don’t take that long and with the remaining time we either sit and talk or quietly study for another test.

After the tests, Christmas break begins and everyone is happy again. This year I will be celebrating the end of semester tests by sitting on the couch for two weeks watching Christmas movies and spending time with family and friends while keeping safe from COVID-19.