The Performance of a Lifetime

14 May 2012Rachael K

I’ve never learned to juggle properly.

There’s something inherently stressful about having to balance a variety of potentially harmful objects above you head. For the uncoordinated, juggling is a bit of a death trap – it really is only a matter of time before something inevitably slips from your grasp, leading to not only embarrassment, but also a noticeable welt.

An unattractive welt right before Grad weekend – an obviously unwelcome, undesired, and any other panic-inducing adjective meant for said hypothetical blemish.

It seems that in order to get to grad, however, the grad class has had to do some juggling – a perhaps unwanted setback, but a necessary one nonetheless.

That’s right – it’s AP fortnight here at Brentwood; the two week timeframe nightmare for any participating Grade 12 scholar. Brentwood students across the languages, arts, and sciences have been preparing for these exams the entire academic year – some classes even for two years like the AP sciences.

Slowly, but surely, the days have drifted closer and closer towards those marked ‘AP’ boxes on student calendars. Highlighted since the beginning of the year, these dates have seemed to be unrealistic, unreachable, and too futuristic for any sort of anxiety inducing. In the oncoming test rush, however, academic teachers have prepared emergency review sessions during arts blocks and prep evenings, organized frantic review tutorials, and catalyzed the cycle of last minute cramming, stressing, and weeping.

This tardy AP realization seems to result in a three step break-down process for students.

One: denial: “It’s too early, “I’ve got plenty of time to study”, “AP exams? What AP exams?”.

Two: panic: “I only have how many hours left to study?!”, “There are three essays on that thing?!”, “Momma, help me!”.

Three: depressed acceptance: “I need this test for University credit next year”, “It’s only going to be three and a half hours of my life”, “When they’re over, I’ll eat my sorrows out in ice cream and chocolate cookies.”

It really is a vicious cycle of refutations, anxiety, and acceptance.

All in all, it seems rather depressing, no? 

Of course, to add insult to injury, it seems that Grad is an ever present distractor in our senior brains, always threatening to push to the forefront of our minds during study sessions in its ultimate quest for complete distraction.

Let’s be honest: students don’t pretend to like AP exams, but after hours of mulling, students seem to collectively come to the realization that we did bring these stresses upon ourselves…we did sign up for these tests after all…and pay for them.

But underneath the wailing, hair-pulling, and distraction, APs can actually be a good thing…or so I’m told. They can lead to the greatest academic challenge a student has ever known. They can solidify entrance scholarships and fulfill university conditions. They can help students skip a first year university course, saving thousands of dollars in tuition in tandem with early graduation. They can also open up some free time in Freshman year.

Maybe these tests aren’t so bad after all.

Brentwood is all about its tripartite system. Already, maybe unbeknownst to many of us, this has prepared students to learn to juggle a multitude of commitments and responsibilities. Arts, sports, and a full course load? These are already three balls in the air. Adding an AP to the mix is object number four. Incorporating potential distractions (such as grad and graduation) can be articles five and six.

The potential to drop something now seems to be greater than ever.

We students like to think that we’re ready for these exams – we’ve put in the practice, the effort; we’ve taken the time in class, focused on our studies the whole year through. We’ve received positive and negative feedback, encouragement, and practice situations from our teachers.

We’ve even purchased AP Books.

Now, the only thing left to do is write the test, and it seems that the moment is finally upon us. So, will we finish with a flourish, and tip our hats towards our juggling audience? Or will our orbs crash to the ground?

We’ll let you know in two weeks. You can ask us during the Grad celebration weekend.

Gotta love the suspense.

Rachael K