Two long, excruciating hours of incessant work, concentration, and effort. This is the moment students have awaited after learning a semester’s worth of knowledge.

With exam week just around the corner, students are beginning to prepare and review information from months ago. Contrary to previous years, SHS has finally altered exam week, moving it to the week before winter break. This year, exams will be Tues., Dec. 15 to Fri., Dec. 18.

Junior Sarah Sotropa said, “Finally, SHS has moved exams to the week before winter break! Studying over break last year was horrible, since break is for relaxing with family and friends, not for reviewing information that you learned months ago.”

Students have been complaining for years that exams were held after break, while other schools have held their exams prior to winter break.

Sophomore Nikhil Sekar said, “Taking exams after break was horrendous. You had to study during a time when you are supposed to be hanging out with friends and family. To make things worse, it was extremely easy to forget information over a two week break.”

“Now that exams are before winter break, we can just get them out of the way, without anything to worry about over break. We can actually relax, without stressing over exams.”

Although exams were moved to before winter break, the daily schedule has not changed from last year. Tuesday will be first bell exams, Wednesday will be second and third bell exams, Thursday will be fourth bell and fifth bell exams, and Friday will be sixth and seventh bell exams.

Sekar said, “Besides taking the actual exams, I actually look forward to exam week. During exam week, we get to leave school earlier than usual on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.”