Students Offer Perspectives on The Second Term

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The second term began on Jan. 6th. Not only has the arrival of the second term caused changes in schedules and classes, but there are drastic shifts in the pressure, the stress, the fun, and the relationships seen throughout each grade at John F. Kennedy High School. Saira Sabine Bhullar (9) revealed her conflicted feelings about how the second term differs from the first term. “I’d say the teachers are more strict now, compared to the first semester when they were more lenient,” said Bhullar.

Bhullar further explained that the lack of parent-teacher conferences in the second term makes it harder and more unexpected for the student and the parents to learn about the teacher.

Ridhima Kapoor (11) stated, “I feel like my course load is definitely more difficult; all four of my classes are AP classes, so I definitely have a lot more work to manage. And along with that, I have to worry about extracurriculars and stuff since college applications are just around the corner for us [juniors].”

The fast pace in the spring brings a noticeable change of work upon the students, especially if they have committed to excessive extracurricular activities during their easier first term. One of the largest differences seen in the second term is how motivation is affected. Students are likely to face burnouts, especially since standardized testing and advanced placement tests are approaching, and the workload increases.

“The second semester brings a lot of potential challenges to teachers’ regularly scheduled programming because of standardized testing, graduation events, and student burnout,” states KQED. “First term there is a lot of like, ‘I am so excited,’ second term it’s like ‘I’m almost over,’” explained Siddhi Yadav (12). Yadav revealed both terms require doing work, regardless of your grade, although it may start feeling more nostalgic as you become the eldest in school, and soon on your way to graduate.

Soundharya Kumerasan (10) mentioned, “There is definitely a lot more stress, because I took two AP [classes], and AP tests are coming up.” Kumerasan expressed that classes may get harder and faster paced, which may be stressful for many students. According to Scot Scoop, “During the fall, teachers tend to take their time and explain the rules and foundations of the class, but by the spring, they often demand a faster pace, and more work is usually assigned.” The workload has been noticed to change, and how students register the information is wildly affected, to the point where they may begin to feel overwhelmed and may start slacking on their important assignments.