Every year, as it gets a little closer to Christmas, there seems to be very little joy for a lot of high school students. Instead, the general feeling is one of stress.

Gone are the years when the Christmas holiday is a fun-filled vacation spent with family. Now, studying is the pastime of choice, preparing for the January exams. By having exams so closely following the holidays, a damper of sorts is put on the spirit and feelings that make up Christmas.

As a grade 12 student here at Fredericton High, I feel much would be gained by having a wider separation between our time of joy (Christmas) and our time of tribulation (exams).

I believe the universities have the right idea when they put the pain before the pleasure. By having exams before Christmas they have effectively relieved the burden of stress during the holidays, making it possible for the students to fully enjoy the season.

If students could get their exams out of the way of the jolly holiday, the true spirit of Christmas would have a much greater presence. As it stands, high school students are passing through the holiday season as if they're getting it out of the way before exams, which utterly takes the meaning out of it.

Personally, I can't wait until Christmas - when I once again have the time to feel the magic of the season; yet, at the same time, I can't help but wonder how long it'll last.