Every year, students look forward to Memorial Day Weekend as one last break before summer: a golden opportunity to relax before the end of the academic year. However, with finals starting just two days after Memorial Day, some students are opposed to the timing.
Many students ended up spending the weekend studying. Still, not everyone sees it as a bad thing. Some students appreciated having an extra day to review materials and prepare for finals. A few said it was the most focused studying they had done all semester. The frustration is less about the studying itself, but more about the transition from Memorial Day Weekend break to exams a few days after.
Fourth Former James Paul went to Avalon with his friends for Memorial Day Weekend.
“I knew that the finals would be right after [Memorial Day], but I really wanted to spend some time with my friends down at the shore,” Paul said. “I think that Memorial Day Weekend is a great time to go to the beach and hang out with friends.”
Whether you spent the weekend at the beach or at your desk, many students feel that knowing finals are right around the corner makes it almost impossible to switch off and not study.
Students who have family trips planned, or whose families celebrate the holiday in a big way, are put in a tough position. Taking time off feels irresponsible, but staying home to study while everyone else is out feels miserable. Either way, someone loses something.
It is worth noting that this schedule is not unique to Haverford. Many other schools across the country operate similarly, and there is rarely a perfect solution. Finals have to go somewhere, and late May is a hard time to plan finals.
“Hanging out with my friends and making fun memories is more important to me than studying for finals.”
PATRICK CHANG ’28
Fourth Former Patrick Chang headed to the coastal town of Margate for the weekend.
“Hanging out with my friends and making fun memories is more important to me than studying for finals,” he said. “I also enjoy time away, as it is like a reset for me from my traditional, more stressful life, especially with sports.”
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