St. Agnes Academy Wraps up the Fall Semester

This past week, St. Agnes Academy Academy ended the first semester of the 2021-2022 school year with midterm exams. Students and faculty are excited for Winter Break! Whether they have big plans to travel, or simply want to stay home and rest, the St. Agnes community was more than ready for the three weeks off of school.

The class of 2024 has a unique viewpoint, seeing as they were virtual last year as freshmen and didn’t have exams. Eva Lin (‘24) shares her experience of midterm exams. “To be honest, my midterms were a lot easier than I thought they would be, and they went by really fast too. Since these were my first high school midterms, I did study quite a bit, and I’m glad I did. I didn’t have to stress as much about them. Being able to get my midterms over with was a very rewarding feeling, plus we get to have two weeks of nothing school-related afterwards.” Lexi Otero (‘24) says, “Exams were a really stressful time, especially since as sophomores, we’ve never experienced any sort of major testing.” Katherine Nelson (‘24) adds, “I’m glad that the exams are over because they made me quite stressed. I had to study all day in preparation for the next test. However, I’m really enjoying my break now!”

The phrase “Work Hard, Play Hard” is one that I find helpful in balancing the serious and fun aspects of life. After four months of hard work and a week of studying for midterms, the students were thrilled to be able to think about something other than history, chemistry, and algebra. Some, like Eva, have big plans for their winter vacation: “For the first week of winter break, I’m on a family trip to Disney World. After I come back, I’m going to a leadership camp called National Youth Leadership Training for Boy Scouts. Camping is one of my favorite activities and I am really looking forward to learning a couple more leadership skills, as well as meeting new friends. I was hoping for a little downtime, but I am really glad I am able to just get out of the house for a bit.” Others are using the time for well-deserved rest. Lexi shares, “Despite the stress of exams, Christmas break has been really relaxing. In fact, because of the exams we just had, I can appreciate the time off even more.” 

There is an emotional divide between the anxiety-inducing week of exams and the moment when everyone’s last final ends. To me, the happiness was palpable - not just the excitement of getting out of school, but being able to fully enjoy the holidays. It was wonderful to see all the students and staff talking eagerly, laughing, and exchanging Christmas gifts. Many had after school plans with their friends or family - it was clear that all were ready for winter break. 

I think it’s crucial to realize the importance of moments like these in a school community. When you get to see everyone rallied up for the holidays, the excitement becomes infectious. After not being able to witness and take part in large-scale enthusiasm due to virtual learning, it was satisfying to see such strong bonds and happiness again.