After two weeks of leisure and relaxation, students once again returned from Christmas break to tackle the second semester and finish the year strong. While many looked forward to passing the halfway point of the school year, some are apprehensive that there are still five months left. 

“I prefer first semester to second semester because in the first semester it is warmer outside, so it is more enjoyable while changing classes. We also have football season and homecoming in the first semester. The only hard part for me about first semester is getting used to my classes,” Michaela Keleher, junior, said. 

The second semester can be exciting for many students, especially seniors, as it is close to summer. While the long break seems just out of reach, these coming weeks consist of many milestones for one’s high school career, such as prom and graduation. In addition to school events, some students are looking forward to spring sports, like soccer and lacrosse. 

“Sports make the rest of the year much more enjoyable. I have more to look forward to by the end of the school day,” Jack Turner, freshman, said. 

Although the second semester contains many activities worth counting down to, students often wish they could skip to summer just because of end-of-year testing. Advanced Placement (AP) exams take place during May, which causes even more stress as many study to earn college credit. For classes without AP tests, finals are scheduled for the last week of school. The endless hours of studying to prepare for this season often result in an unenjoyable second semester compared to the first. 

“The thing I dread most is the amount of studying I have to do with the little time we have to do it. Plus, it is senior year, and we have a lot to do towards the end of the year so it makes it hard to cram all of that studying on top of all the things seniors must do. I dread studying most because it takes so much time, and it is always so draining having to stare at a screen or a page of notes just to pass an exam. Most of the time it, pays off well in the end when you get a good score,” Natalie Calbert, senior, said. 

Whether filled with anticipation or dread for the upcoming semester, the rest of one’s life is right around the corner, waiting for the next chapter to begin.