This editorial is addressed to you all, the students of Andover. Winter Term is coming to a close, bringing us one step closer to the impending finals week. Cue the dramatic music. For many of us, finals week is a time we associate with excessive work and stress. We sacrifice energy, sleep, and sometimes even food to push ourselves to the edge and get the grade we’ve been striving for. Although spring break may seem like the perfect opportunity to recuperate, hence the appeal to overwork yourself during finals week, stretching yourself too thin now will only end up hurting you down the line.
It’s cheesy, but life—Andover, high school, whatever—is a marathon, not a sprint! Remember that there is no shortcut for taking care of yourself. Burning out later because you push yourself too hard now is simply a waste of your potential. It’s far too easy to get sucked into the intense workflow or become so hyper-focused on your end-of-term results that you forget how hard you worked this term (because you did work hard this term. Don’t forget that). So step away from all-nighters and coffee-fueled lab reports; step away from the “What-If ” feature on Canvas. Keeping your future self in consideration, remember that each individual assignment will not last forever, and that in the long term, your performance this finals week will have no significant effect on the rest of your life. It is the hard work that you have put in all term, the time you have devoted to learning, that will make all the difference.
We urge you to keep in mind that you are all human beings, not robots (that’s Andover’s admission policy, right?). Your bodies need sustenance, rest, and all that other good stuff. Your brains aren’t machines either. If you’re planning on spending the whole day in the library this weekend, maybe consider blocking out some of that time for a well-deserved study break. Hit the Den, or take a short walk outside and enjoy the weather. Regardless of how much it reminds you of global warming and our impending doom, 60 degrees and sunny in February is just begging for a stroll.
Convoluted as it was, this editorial was basically just a huge “you got this.” You really got this! We know you do. And if you feel like you missed the mark this term or aren’t in a place to be telling yourself “good job,” leave it to us. Your friends at The Phillipian are proud of you. And because it made us laugh this week (and we all need a good laugh—maybe check out the Eighth Page?), we also recommend everyone reading this editorial to check out @chunk_the_groundhog on Instagram. It’s a guaranteed source of smiles. With that, happy end of Ultimate Week! Let’s all make an effort to take care of ourselves and root for one another in this final push.
This editorial represents the views of The Phillipian, vol. CXLIII.
