In order for students to perform their best academically on their final exams, they should wear their everyday uniforms.

In the past during finals week, students have been given the option to wear comfortable “free dress” clothing, such as sweatpants and non-NDB sweatshirts and jackets instead of their typical uniform skirts to take their exams.

Because the week does not consist of any academic instruction, students are only required to come to school if their final exams are given as tests. However, these should still be treated as academic days and uniforms should still be worn.

The entire NDB community should want students to have the most successful final exam grades possible, and wearing the uniform will help reach this goal. The school’s uniform is essential to students at NDB. We wear them at school during our classes when we are learning and taking in new information. Therefore, we associate our uniforms with times of focus and concentration.

Comfortable clothes like sweatpants are worn at home, so remind us of relaxation away from school. If we take our exams in the attire that we wear at home on our couches, how will we be in the right academic mindset?

Because the upcoming final exams fall in December and COVID-19 forces the doors and windows to remain open, it is understandable that students may be cold and interested in wearing free dress. But, creating a successful academic environment well-suited for final exams should be more valuable.

Compromises such as leggings or larger warm pants and larger jackets over NDB sweatshirts can be made because the idea of the uniform would still be present.

As finals week quickly approaches this semester, all of NDB, including teachers, students and administration, are on the same page: we all want students to perform their best. In order for this to occur, we should try to emulate the same focus and concentration we have when learning the material on the day of our exams.