Winter break is a great time for students to catch up on their much needed rest. However, with finals coming up, some students may find it hard to completely blow off schoolwork.

“I do a little review over winter break,” said Ben Anderson, junior. “Of course, I try to study at least two weeks before finals. I don’t think finals after winter break is more beneficial because you still have to think about school. I think it would be nice to move finals before break.”

On the other side of the spectrum, some students find finals after break to be the preferable choice.

“I actually do study for finals over break,” said Mitchell Collins, junior. “I try to look over stuff from my folder and see what I don’t know. I think the best time for finals is probably after break because you just get a little more time.”

While Collins believes that finals should take place after winter break, he does also weigh the pros and cons of having to study over winter break.

“If you get winter break to study, it feels a lot more relaxing. You get to study at your own pace. The downside is that you have finals hanging over your head,” Collins said.

Another student had similar sentiments.

“I study for finals at least a week or two beforehand, usually during winter break,” said Brian Portland, senior. “I spend about three hours total studying for finals over break. I like finals after winter break because it gives you more time to study.”

While students may have differing opinions on when finals should take place, it is clear that many do use their extra time to study.

There is a clear advantage for having two weeks off before taking finals. Students come back to class refreshed and rested, ready to tackle the tough exams ahead. Students have far more time to study and are not overwhelmed by a sense of urgency. Teachers can also take the extra time to make possible adjustments to their tests or to create study guides for their students.

However, there are obvious disadvantages as well. Studying for finals may take time away from more important things like hanging out with friends or spending valuable time with family. This leaves students with the hard choice of picking relaxation or studying.

No matter what, students at Central know how important finals are. Whether or not students choose to study over winter break is perhaps the more important question than when finals should take place.