Burnout Report: What is Finals Week Like for Hoggard Students?

Around finals week, many students experience higher levels of stress and burnout due to upcoming exams and end-of-semester expectations. To have a better understanding of this, a student from each grade level was asked about their stress and motivation (or lack thereof) during final exam week. Although their experiences vary, the responses reveal an overall trend.

When asked whether stress levels increase during the week of finals, most students reported feeling more stressed than usual. A student in tenth grade and another in eleventh grade both indicated that finals week often brings added pressure. A twelfth-grade student also described increased stress, largely connected to concerns about future responsibilities (work, college, etc.) and performing well on exams. However, a ninth-grade student shared a different perspective, explaining that spending extra time studying helped them feel more confident about exams which kept their stress levels lower.

Additionally, students were asked if they feel “burned out” or become unmotivated as the semester comes to an end. Across grade levels, burnout was a common emotional theme. Students in ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade mentioned feeling tired or worn out, but also stated they still powered through to finish out the semester. The twelfth-grade student reported the strongest sense of burnout, largely due to the need to spend significant time preparing for exams alongside piling extracurricular and college application season responsibilities.

Finally, when discussing whether school-related stress increases specifically during finals week, most students agreed that it does. A tenth-grade student felt stress levels fluctuated, while students in eleventh and twelfth grade noted a clear increase due to heavier workloads, more in-depth coursework, and time management demands. The ninth-grade student also reported higher stress, largely because of personal expectations for academic performance.

Overall, the data suggests that while stress and burnout during finals week are common across all grade levels, students’ experiences differ based on mindset, preparation, external responsibilities, and personally-imposed expectations.