With Christmas almost here, and such, it made me think of how, when I went to college, the week just before Christmas meant 3am library hours, days of studying, and final exams, before the end of the semester, and a month long break for Christmas. As I'm aware that not all schools had this system, I wanted to post to discuss how people's schools/colleges worked with exams, marking periods, semesters, vacations, etc, etc.
In college, I went to a school on a semester system. (I'm aware that some colleges have/had quarter systems too). I would start in late Aug/Early Sept, have final exams the week before Christmas, anywhere from a month to six weeks off for Christmas. I would return to college anywhere between Jan 20 and 30, take finals in May, and then not have to return to school for 3-4 months in the summer. Basically, counting Xmas break, there was five months a year with no school. Spring break was busy, with term papers, preparing for midterms, etc.
In high school, there was really no "vacation" except for two months in summer. Our first semster finals were in January, around my bday, as we were on a semester system. School started right after Labor Day. Xmas break would be swamped. Then finals for first semester would come. After that would start a new semester around Feb 1. Second Semester Finals would be in June. Spring break would be busy too, with reading, papers, preparing for exams, etc. The weird thing was.. High School where I lived in Westport, CT, was one where you had a teacher for one semester, but they sent home two quarterly report cards. One around Thanksgiving, and the other after finals in Feb, and then one in April around spring break, and the other in early July after the end of the school year.
One good thing about college was that after one's last final, they were finished, even if the semester didnt end for a few days. You could pack and leave. I remember how in Senior Year HS, I took my last final on a Friday, but Graduation wasnt until the following Wednesday afternoon. Instead of just staying home, I had to go to "Homeroom", and "Graduation rehearsals". the following Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before the graduation. The principal made a rule that we just had to sit in homeroom all day, and do whatever, or else it would be considered cutting, which was utterly stupid. Anyone intentionally doing "Senior Skip Days", would get F's for those days, and not be allowed to graduate with the class. The only thing that was allowed besides home room, would be if a student got a slip signed by both the home room teacher, and the librarian, they could sit in the library and read all day, except for lunch.
Anyhow, so thats the question: How did your schools systems work, and did you like it? College was pretty cool with the no work all Xmas break, but I think HS had a lot of stupid calendar things, and rules.
Mitch
In college, I went to a school on a semester system. (I'm aware that some colleges have/had quarter systems too). I would start in late Aug/Early Sept, have final exams the week before Christmas, anywhere from a month to six weeks off for Christmas. I would return to college anywhere between Jan 20 and 30, take finals in May, and then not have to return to school for 3-4 months in the summer. Basically, counting Xmas break, there was five months a year with no school. Spring break was busy, with term papers, preparing for midterms, etc.
In high school, there was really no "vacation" except for two months in summer. Our first semster finals were in January, around my bday, as we were on a semester system. School started right after Labor Day. Xmas break would be swamped. Then finals for first semester would come. After that would start a new semester around Feb 1. Second Semester Finals would be in June. Spring break would be busy too, with reading, papers, preparing for exams, etc. The weird thing was.. High School where I lived in Westport, CT, was one where you had a teacher for one semester, but they sent home two quarterly report cards. One around Thanksgiving, and the other after finals in Feb, and then one in April around spring break, and the other in early July after the end of the school year.
One good thing about college was that after one's last final, they were finished, even if the semester didnt end for a few days. You could pack and leave. I remember how in Senior Year HS, I took my last final on a Friday, but Graduation wasnt until the following Wednesday afternoon. Instead of just staying home, I had to go to "Homeroom", and "Graduation rehearsals". the following Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before the graduation. The principal made a rule that we just had to sit in homeroom all day, and do whatever, or else it would be considered cutting, which was utterly stupid. Anyone intentionally doing "Senior Skip Days", would get F's for those days, and not be allowed to graduate with the class. The only thing that was allowed besides home room, would be if a student got a slip signed by both the home room teacher, and the librarian, they could sit in the library and read all day, except for lunch.
Anyhow, so thats the question: How did your schools systems work, and did you like it? College was pretty cool with the no work all Xmas break, but I think HS had a lot of stupid calendar things, and rules.
Mitch
