Change is coming to Benet Academy for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year. The plan is to move the first-semester final exams to before Christmas break. This will be a major adjustment for students at Benet, as first-semester final exams are typically held one week after students return from the two weeks off for Christmas break. 

As with any decision to step away from what is traditionally done, the effective move of final exams three weeks earlier has sparked discussions throughout the student body about the different pros and cons of the proposed change. School administrators have moved forward and decided to make the shift per the unofficial, overwhelming sentiment amongst the student body members that exams before Christmas break would be a welcome change. 

Proponents of the change point to preserving Christmas break as a break. By having final exams before the holidays, students can use Christmas break for relaxation and spending time with family and friends without the stress or worry of final exams looming over their heads. Students and their families will be free to travel on vacation without concern about packing study materials or textbooks. Moreover, seniors applying to colleges with early January deadlines have more time to focus without studying for finals over Christmas break. 

Spending time away from school with no class responsibilities will be a great way for students to recharge and prepare for a new semester, coinciding with the beginning of a new calendar year, unlike this past year, when the second semester began over halfway through January on the 17th. Having exams before winter break will even out the two semesters of the school year in terms of the calendar year and allow students to keep an academic mindset while having access to school resources such as their teachers, rather than studying alone at home if exams were after the break.

Overall, students will have their final exams out of the way without worrying about the distractions that come with the holidays, such as family obligations or vacations. This can only benefit students’ chances to do well on their exams and help their grades going forward.