Worst Three Weeks Ever
Alyssa Pendon (she/her)
Editorial Team Member
As December starts, the worst three weeks of the year come barging in. The weird three-week period after Thanksgiving break and before winter break. Also known as finals season.
For some reason, everything is weirdly packed into these three weeks, and you somehow have to manage all of it?
Although some clubs ramp down, other activities ramp up. For example, since I’m on my school’s speech team, I have two tournaments this month, which doesn’t sound that bad. Until you realize that my tournament this Saturday is an hour away, and I need to be at school at 5:15 in the morning. I’ll come back to school roughly when the sun has set, which really just means when it’s dark again.
Other activities like the school newspaper also ramp up a bit as our last deadline of the year is this month; next week on Monday. And it’s basically the last deadline day we have to submit content for contests early next year. Although not everyone is worried about submitting content for contests, it still adds an extra layer of stress, especially as an editor.
Somehow track pre-season also starts this month and our coach makes us run outside. In the snow. Although not all track athletes have to do so, I’m one of the “lucky” ones that get to brave the December cold. Since I’m a distance runner. At the time I’m writing this, our first pre-season practice was today, December 2nd. But you know I didn’t go. Because why would I do that?
And of course, school absolutely crushes me every finals season. But somehow winter finals feel almost worse than summer ones. I think it’s because it’s in the winter, and I never feel good in the winter, but also because there’s already so much anticipation for break as it suddenly switches into holiday season. But finals crush everyone, since they always creep up on you. It’s also harder when the sun sets so early, but you get to school every day when it’s dark out and leave when the sun starts to set. Not to mention the fact I have gym before the school day even starts, and they have a strict once-a-week-getting-to-leave-for-a-club policy. A lot of clubs meet during Early Bird gym, so we are allowed to skip one class per week to go to a club meeting. By the way, I’m in like 12 clubs, so once a week is not enough.
But even though this time of year is always really rough, it’s surprisingly going really well for me. Granted, it’s only been two days. But that's not the point. I’m still doing well. I could’ve been afraid and not done anything, but I’ve been productive in and outside of school, while also spending time taking care of myself. We’ll see what happens in two weeks though, because seriously, all of my grades are borderline, or can’t go up or down.
