Unlike previous years, this year’s fall semester final will have periods 3 and 4 on Monday and periods 1 and 2 on Tuesday. Period 5 and 6 finals are on Wednesday and period 7 finals are on Thursday. The schedule change was made due to a Saratoga Strings orchestra trip to the 68th Annual Midwest Clinic in Chicago, which takes place from Dec. 16-20.

A leadership team made of teachers from each department and administrators collaborated to create the finals schedule. Saratoga Strings meets in period 2. Moving periods 3 and 4 to Monday helps to lessen the number of finals missed by Saratoga Strings students.

To make up their finals, the members will take their finals the weekend before finals week. They have a choice of making up their finals either Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

“We have less time to study, but the opportunity makes it worth it,” senior Sheryl Lin said.

Even students who are not in Saratoga Strings see the finals schedule an inconvenience for their studying. Nevertheless, they are still supportive of the group’s accomplishments and their upcoming trip.

“It's definitely good that the school is able to accommodate for orchestra,” junior Ashvita Ramesh said “It shows that they are concerned for the students’ well-being, especially since orchestra constitutes for a large population of our school. [However], changing the entire [finals] schedule can disrupt students’ planning.”