For some, Thursday will be a relaxing day off of school, but for others (those who follow the school’s recommendation to come to conferences with their parents), it can consist of an intense conference.

This year, conferences have evolved into something completely different from the years when only parents had to go. This year,  instead of parents meeting with their child’s teachers, they will be meeting with their child’s advisor. In this year’s model, the parent(s) will also drag along their child so that they can inform the advisor about each of their classes.

What will anyone talk about in this conference? In many regards, the same information will likely be discussed. These topics usually include grades, goals, and steps needed for improvements. These steps almost always include seeking help from a teacher, studying more, and completing all assignments thoroughly.

During the conference, many students report feeling a bit awkward while sitting there while parents and advisors talk. Some say it can be almost like they’re talking behind your back, except you just happen to be there to defend yourself.

The new format benefits teachers so that they don’t have to meet with each student, and makes it easier for parents who had to schedule time to meet with every teacher. However, some students feel that the disadvantages for the students are far greater than the advantages for the parents.

“I think it’s stupid because it’s only 30 minutes long and you can’t do anything else if it’s in the middle of the day. You should only have to go if you have bad grades,” said Jordan Bruder (’16).

“It takes only 10-15 minutes of your time.  It’s weird that all of a sudden they’re changing it. They’re trying to get students involved,” said Mariah Korzenok (’15)

No matter what your perspective on the change, as the conference comes to an end,  know that you survived and now can look forward to the end of semester one. It doesn’t hurt to remember that at this point, your grades are simply progress reports and they doesn’t reflect your final grades.