For people who are competitive in academics in high school, third quarter is known to be frustrating. Students have now put forth an effort for first semester, so they feel restless and have an enormous amount of stress, all due to the third quarter “grade drop.”

Throughout the school year, stress builds up from school activities, academics and time management. When it comes to third quarter, grades begin to downfall, and stress levels rise.

“It’s harder[for students] because we are continuing to build on new material and if we didn’t do well the first semester, we will struggle more with the curriculum and our grades reflect that,” freshman Lauren F. said.

Lauren also talked about how curriculum is the hardest in third quarter. It’s a wake up call for students, because teachers expect more from them. By this time, students should have an understanding for how the year is going to run, and are expected not to need “training wheels” anymore. Teachers become less lenient with missing work, and more strict with the way the classroom runs. Teachers also realize how close standardized tests are. by the end of the first semester, teachers are done reviewing, and the students are learning all new material. teachers begin to adjust their curriculum pacing guides in order to provide all the information the student needs. However, the student’s reaction to this adjustment can cause a decline in understanding and a greater chance of a third quarter slump.

According to Dailyish Teacher, teachers tend to pick out this trend too. In order for a student to get through the grading period, teachers need to realize the help the students need and provide additional help to those who reach out and struggle throughout the quarter.

“The hardest material is typically put into third quarter, and sometimes it’s hard for students to catch up on their work and adjust to the changes. Also, sometimes students are in break mode and can’t seem to get back their motivation.” guidance counselor Meghan Roberts said.

Stamina and persistence is also key to a student’s success in the classroom. By third quarter students become more anxious to get out of school, which kills their motivation.