Finals have always been a source of anxiety for students all around the globe. This year has already been full of stress, with all of the different circumstances that have come up, like the pandemic, virtual school, etc. 

This year, wake county is making teacher-made exams optional, and only requiring state mandated exams. Students are allowed to choose whether or not they want to take teacher-made exams. This itself is such an amazing development. The best portion of the new finals rule is: if the student does poorly on the final exam, and their average is lowered, the final will not be counted towards their final grade. This seems to be the most student-friendly option, and I appreciate the freedom and generosity given by the higher ups! 

I’m sure students of Green Level High School feel the same way. Diego Osorio (10th), a fellow staff writer for the gators eye, says “I’m actually a big fan, because taking exams in this environment just isn’t good at all, and it’s easy for people to get screwed because of that. I’m glad they’re not like doing any penalties or anything bc it’s really not anyone’s fault”. Osorio has a sense of respect for the people in charge, and is feeling grateful for their thoughtfulness during these unprecedented times.

 Another student, Asmitha Kakarla, also loves the new decision for the finals this semester. She described it as “helpful, thoughtful, and helps to foster decision making skills, because students are forced to make their own decisions for their futures”. I for one, completely agree. 

The requirement of being at school to take the state mandated exams is also very helpful. I’m sure that the school will take all of the proper precautions to make sure all of the students are safe and not in any harm. Being in a school environment will help with a student’s focus, and take them away from distractions that could be bothering them at home. It also ensures that cheating will not be tolerated, or at least it will not be as easy as cheating from home. For those in households with younger siblings or parents working from home on noisy calls, the school environment will prove to be a bane. 

Overall, I genuinely applaud the officials that made these student-friendly decisions. I’m sure that Green Level feels the same way as Kakarla and Osorio, and appreciate the new decisions made about finals. Way to go Green Level!