As the end of January nears, students prepare for midterms.

With the responsibility of getting a passing grade, students feel the pressure to study and learn all the information from the year for one large test to examine how much they know.

“I’m extremely stressed,” said Madeline Hay, sophomore, “I have a lot of sports and other activities outside of school so I don’t have time to study.”

This is one the most stressful times of the year for any teenager. Midterms count for a portion of the student’s overall grade per class and affects a student’s GPA (Grade Point Average). A lot of pressure and stress is following students during this month to learn the previous information and get good grades for each 2 hour test.

“I think midterms and finals bring a bit of stress because it’s one test that gives you a grade. So it brings extra pressure than some of the other tests they take throughout the year,” said Mr. Brian Montalbano, Latin teacher.

“The stress haunts me,” said Emily Chun, sophomore. “I know that I have to study for the midterms.”

For some students it can be difficult to remember all the information from the first semester in a short period of time. “Having to know everything from the past 5 or so months of school is not possible, especially for someone like me who is bad at taking tests,” said Julia Blando, sophomore. “The stress doesn’t affect me anymore. I’m like a zombie.”  

“I feel like it puts so much unnecessary stress on students,” said Christina Jorge, sophomore, “Students feel like they need to pass every single midterm so it leaves you really anxious and stressed.”

Students endure a few standardized tests along with other forms of testing throughout the average school year. Some students feel the pressure more greatly with all the different tests that count for college resumes.

“Other schools don’t have them and they seem to be doing fine,” Hay said.

The pressure is overwhelming for students who also have homework and projects to complete.

“I have so much work to do and it’s so much work to do at one time,” said Jean Walter, sophomore.

“My future depends on midterms because if I don’t do well then my GPA drops like an earthquake, then I don’t get into the college I want,” Blando said.

Others feel as though we should get rid of midterms and finals all together.

“I think that midterms and finals should be completely taken out of all high schools. They are not a good way of testing your knowledge or how smart you are,” Blando said.

The Glen Echo interviewed students to find out how much they plan to study and get ready for the midterms.

“I need to study enough so I can pass the midterms,” said Beatriz Wooten, freshmen.

“I plan to study an hour per class because more than that is just too much,” said Hay.

Since students need to pass the midterms that means that have to do some form of studying. Some studying techniques are looking over notes and homework, relearning chapters, reading textbook pages, watching crash courses, reviewing quizlets, taking more notes, and completing midterm review packets given by most teachers.  “

A pretty good chunk of your grade depends on if you do good or bad on the midterms,” Chun said.

“I make my midterms reflective the way students are tested so they are more familiar with the process and takes away the burden of stress,” Montalbano said.  

On the positive side of things students are excited to have half a day for the days they take the midterms to try and relax, but then they get back to studying.

“The next 12 hours of my day after the half day are spent studying,” Blando said.

“Music is the only way I can relax,” said Jorge.

Studying relentlessly means that students will get a lack of sleep. Students find themselves drifting off during class. 

According to www.nationwidechildrens.org  teenagers should get an average of 9 and half hours of sleep each night.

“I get seven hours of sleep,” said Mia Ramdayal, sophomore. A lack of sleep can affect a student’s physical, mental, and academic performance as well.

“I get three hours, sometimes four hours of sleep a night,” said Hay.

“I get cramps, tiredness and headaches from midterms,” said Jorge. “Midterms should probably not exist. I moved from Florida and we didn’t have midterms or finals, just state tests.”

“That’s all I think about, it’s my entire day. It revolves around getting ready for midterms and studying. There’s no getting out of it,” said Blando.