Despite the many obstacles posed by COVID-19, like the loss of a typical learning structure caused by online schooling, finals will continue this year much like in the past. Many students feel teachers have taken these challenges in stride and are feeling confident heading into this crucial testing week.

“I feel a little bit nervous, but I’m not as worried as I have been in the past,” senior Daniel Hartson said. “I feel like I know exactly what I’m going up against. Teachers have done a really good job of preparing us and making sure we know what to expect.”

Even so, some students feel ready for the semester to end. “I’m ready for the next classes to start, and then we can just get a fresh start on everything,” junior Skyler Bontemps said. 

Others look forward to meeting new peers. “I’m excited to get new classes and maybe [have] some new people in my classes,” sophomore Mariam Hannosh said.

This year, many teachers chose to assign project-based finals, rather than test-based finals. “I have projects in a number of classes,” Hartson said. Other students echoed this message, generally agreeing projects were better for student mental health.

“It’s been a very rough year for a lot of people,” senior Tyler Tran said. “In general, tests aren’t a great way to gauge if someone knows something or not, so I’m really glad projects are becoming more normalized.”

The reverberating effects of the pandemic have fundamentally changed the relationship some students have with learning — and especially testing. “I think with the past two years of being in quarantine and being in COVID, it’s hard to really pay attention or at least find significance in finals,” Tran said. For some seniors, the imminent transition to college has also put finals on the “back burner,” Tran continued. 

Still, despite the shift from tests to projects by some teachers, many students still feel nervous about the impending finals week. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel stressed,” junior Nikola Jelusic said.

Though sophomore Mariam Hannosh said she similarly feels stressed over finals, she feels more confident knowing that she can connect with her teachers in person this year, as opposed to the online Zoom format of last year’s finals. “I feel better because I can actually talk to my teachers easily.” Nonetheless, the deadlines are “less flexible, which, honestly, I kind of appreciate.”

Those interviewed seemed confident and satisfied with how La Salle has handled COVID-19 and the preparation for finals.

“I really appreciate the teachers being so understanding about all that has happened,” Tran said.