This January, the school will have its first J-Term, a two-week period during which students take one or two classes and learn all about that course. J-Term is brand new on the Hill, which makes it very exciting. However, I believe it creates many issues. 

Although there were a wide variety of classes to choose from, many students did not get their top choices for their courses. A lot of students wanted the same ones, so when the slots for everyone’s top choices were filled, they had to pick a course they necessarily didn’t want to take.

Taking two weeks to do J-Term also means taking two weeks out of more formal academic learning. It may not seem like that big of a deal, but that time can set classes back many lessons. Teachers will have to condense the material into a shorter time frame, which will give students less time to learn it. Students will have less of a chance of understanding the lessons and getting good grades on their tests if they will not be able to take the time to learn the material.

Schools all around the world are behind academically due to Covid-19. Students are constantly getting quarantined and getting sick. This already puts them behind. If another two weeks of the school year are taken off, students will be in a tougher situation. 

Another factor to consider regarding Covid-19 is the amount of people who will travel over winter break. Many families leave the state or country to visit family or to go on a vacation. There is a very good chance that students will come back with Covid-19. It does not seem like the best idea for people to be in large groups doing close contact activities right after a break.

So while J-Term has many good qualities, it also brings up some concerns, at least for me.