The last six weeks of school finally arrive, bringing relief as students anticipate the completion of the school year, imagine the joy of an upcoming trip, and dream of sleeping in. However, the last six weeks may bring a lot more.

Stress from the combination of exams, whether Advanced Placement exams, state testing, or a decline in motivation, may lead to declining grades.   

“The stress is higher at this point in the year, and I believe it’s accumulating with testing,” counselor Meghin Huerta said. “But I think part of it is past cycles as well; the whole year going by just makes it more of a stressor, too. So, having the whole year on top of you is a giant weight. Maybe they haven’t had the success they thought they would. I would say their stress is very high at this point.”

Counselor Angelo Malfatti said, “There is considerably more stress. “It’s been a long year, and you guys get a little lax. There’s a reason for that, and it’s called senioritis, but I think every grade level experiences their own version of ‘itis,’” Malfatti said. “Some kids are stressing to finish off on a high note and making sure their grades are where they want them to be, while others are stressing just to get the credit at all. There are many different aspects that connect as reasons why the last six weeks are harder.”

AP literature teacher Emily Huffman said, “There seems to be more stress overall because of testing. There’s a lot of pressure with the AP exam; you have college credit at stake. You want to make sure that you pass, especially in your senior year when you know exactly where you’re going, since different colleges have different requirements for what they need as a minimum.”  

Grades sometimes slip, one after another, leading to mistakes.

Sometimes, students put too much pressure on themselves until they reach their breaking point. For example, seniors may need to achieve certain grades or meet specific test scores to attend the college of their choice.

Summer is just around the corner, and students want to give up and be done, but they can’t.

It is a never-ending cycle of stress.

Toward the end of the six weeks, there is a lot more to worry about, or things the students forgot about come back. Overall, mental health struggles are at a higher peak during the last six weeks. Although school can be quite a struggle, and stress exacerbates the situation, teachers and campus staff members can provide the resources to help students achieve their goals.