It’s hard to believe that we are near the end of the school year. Time has flown—seniors will be graduating, the technology trailers in the Arts Quad have finally been put in place, and we’ve even met some new friends, like the Quad Skunk! All in all, it’s been another exciting and eventful year at IHS. To reflect, here are some of our opinions on how each month of this school year went or, for future reference, what to expect each month of the school year!
September
CZ: Maybe I’m a little biased because my birthday is in September and many of my friends have birthdays in September, but back-to-school season doesn’t feel too bad for the most part. September feels like the honeymoon phase of the new school year, where most classes are still pretty chill and you’re still catching up and rekindling with friends, so personally, it doesn’t feel all that bad to me.
MC: This month has some conflicting emotions. There’s the pre-school excitement—getting new school supplies and taking advantage of back-to-school deals, receiving your new school schedule, and seeing your peers and other familiar faces once again. Then, on the first day, reality hits. Staying confined in the halls of IHS will become your everyday full-time occupation for the next ten months, until summer hits once again. It’s exciting…right?
October
CZ: Halloween! Candy! The music department’s Collage Concert! A lot of fun events happen in October, and by this point, everyone’s mostly eased into the school year, but the coursework isn’t quite getting real yet. The weather is maybe my biggest gripe with the month, as in typical Ithaca weather fashion, you’re hit with one day of eighty-degree weather, only to be followed up with a day of fifty-degree weather right after.
MC: This month always flies by. Because of that, I can’t exactly tell you what happens during this time of year. The main standouts are the usually conflicting weather patterns where the Ithacan climate can’t decide between the extremes of summer or easing into fall, and the Collage Concert held by the music department at IHS!
November
CZ: Honestly this is the best month, solely because of how many single day breaks there are. Four day school weeks sometimes feel better than a week long break. This is when I find classwork and course content starting to get more challenging, though, so maybe these breaks sort of make up for it.
MC: I’m mostly sure there is not a single full five-day week of school during this month. In the rare days we are in school, I feel like a lot is packed into the school day to compensate for the lack of school days. Despite this, try to take advantage of the extra days off while you can, by relaxing, hanging out with friends, or enjoying the last bit of fall-themed festivities!
December
CZ: I think this month is when you see the biggest collective decline in school motivation as break approaches. Units are usually wrapping up, and students are checked out (or at least I am), all for the promise of Christmas break as the light at the end of the tunnel.
MC: This month goes back and forth between feeling like a drag and going quicker than one can keep up. Locking in for school can be a bit tricky, especially with winter break and the holidays to look forward to. But speaking from experience, try not to completely fall off the grid during this month for the sake of your future self. It’s only about three weeks of school, then you’re free for winter break!
January
CZ: With Regents weeks, midterms, end-of-semester projects, and competition season, January really puts us to work after a nice long break. Honestly, though, I think it just helps the month fly by faster when you’re busy with a lot of stuff.
MC: What’s a better way to ring in the new year, if it’s not with midterms, Regents, and projects piling up just as we come back from the holiday break? January is definitely a wake-up call with all of these final assessments, but do your best to finish the semester off strong!
February
CZ: February for me is club competition season part two, meaning a lot of long bus rides and fifty-minute tests that maybe look nothing like what you expected, but there’s also winter formal for upperclassmen and Candygrams and Carnations to look forward to. With how short the month is already, plus February break, the tighter schedule feels bearable—-and maybe even a little bit enjoyable.
MC: With the new semester starting and fewer days it has, February flies by. But, between Valentine’s Day, Candygrams, Winter Formal, and another week-long break from school, there are many ways to enjoy this month!
March
CZ: March is fun if you’re in clubs such as Code Red or Science Olympiad (which you should join), as this is when their big competitions are held. Otherwise, March is when I see my motivation starting to decline. Maybe it’s because we are gearing towards the final stretch of school, maybe it’s because of the weather, or maybe it’s because the entire school is always sick or sniffly, who knows…
MC: Not to sound too negative, but March is when the days start to mush together, and everything sort of starts to feel more and more like a drag. The reality of the second semester has finally set in; the weather tends to be pretty glum, cloudy, and cold, even though it should feel sunny and slightly warmer. Also around this time, unfortunately, the wave of the school plague hits. Hold on tight and try to make it through this month.
April
CZ: The shift to just slightly warm weather is nice, and April break is a really nice refresher, but honestly, this is when I find my motivation starts to take a sharper nosedive, even with the impending doom of AP tests. Overall, April just feels very up and down in opinion.
MC: April is a lot more exciting than the previous month. There are usually a few nicer days of weather, and the sunshine washes away any remnants of seasonal depression. There’s also Spring Break, so you’ll likely have some extra time to spare. Be prepared, though: AP tests are fast approaching, so maybe use some of your time to prepare for that, to avoid the last-minute stress from cramming.
May
CZ: With AP tests, Junior Prom, and Memorial Day as the only break, this month flies when you have tests and events, but drags immediately after them as your motivation hits rock bottom. At least the garden flowers in bloom are a pretty sight, along with peak walking weather.
MC: Brace yourself for May. This final month before the end of school is filled with countless activities, events, and more. A lot of it can be fun, but it’s also a little hectic. Hang in there though, in a month’s time it’ll all be over and summer will finally be in sight!
June
CZ: This month has often felt the most unbearable in classes because of how hot and humid it often is, but hopefully, there’ll be less of that this year with the installation of the new air conditioning units. More importantly, finals and Regents week is the final hurdle between you and summer break. Use these few months of rest as your reward for making it another year!
MC: The final stretch of the school year! Not much happens in school itself, apart from finals (which mostly take place during Regents week). Now you can finally focus on summer and all the fun it brings!
Hopefully, each month of this school year brought you joy, excitement, and fun throughout! While this will sound cliché, high school moves pretty quickly, so try to make the most of it in these four years. Cheers to an amazing summer, and see you next school year!
It’s easy to forget that this time of year is tough for both students and teachers. The countdown to summer brings relief, but it’s also filled with last-minute assignments and preparations. I hope there’s a way to make this last stretch more manageable.