By Lauren Wasserman ’19

Midterms: what a time. From the second they start, students download countdown apps, constantly waiting for these dreadful tests to end. In past years, students had two tests per day for four straight days and 50 minutes in between each test. The perfect amount of time for students to rejuvenate, pet dogs brought to the school and eat snacks. However, if the school were to add 80 minute blocks in between midterms, it would truly be a disaster: students would most likely try and cram their work, creating lower scores as well as a more anxious environment.

If students were to receive 80 minute blocks, the likelihood they would cram their studying would most definitely increase. Many studies suggest that cramming for exams prevents students from learning and understanding concepts. As most final exams are centered around application and understanding, this cramming would lead students to lower scores.

In addition to this, offering 80 minute blocks would lead to an increase of stress and anxiety amongst the student body. The anticipation between tests is already brutal, students texting their friends, “do I have to know quadratics well?”and “is the open answered section long?” etc.
If Staples were to add 50 more minutes onto the pre-existent freak out central, students would go mad in between their exams. Although it is well known that stress can increase performance, it can also decrease performance, as one can become preoccupied with the stress itself rather than the cause.

Although adding 80 minute blocks could give students more time to eat snacks, or pet the dogs, the risk it carries in terms of performance is too big to switch from the current system. Most students enjoy the current 50 minute blocks, and in all honesty– there is no reason to change them.