Stress and Support: Inside Regents Week at UA Maker

By Evelyn Campos

January 16, 2026

The shuffle of footsteps into testing rooms. Chairs scraping across the floor. Thick exam packets landing on desks. After the proctor finishes reading the directions, the room falls silent.

 

The scene is familiar during Regents week at Urban Assembly Maker Academy, when students across the building sit for New York State Regents Examinations. While some students enjoy lighter schedules, those taking exams describe a week filled with pressure, focus, and uncertainty.

 

“It makes me nervous because if you fail the Regents, you have to take it again,” said Luka-Bela Bolecek, a sophomore scheduled to take the Algebra 1 Regents Exam. “It’s mandatory, and it’s hard.”

 

The New York State Regents Examinations are standardized tests in core subjects required for graduation. Students must earn at least a 65 on specific exams, along with 44 course credits, to receive a diploma.

 

For many students, the weight of the exams brings anxiety.

 

“It causes a lot of stress,” said Gnia Rodriguez, a sophomore who will be taking the Global History, Biology, and Algebra 2 Regents Examinations in June 2026. “You put in a lot of work, and you’re scared you might still fail.”

 

Others said the pressure comes from feeling unprepared.

 

“That’s a lot of work,” said Christopher Angel Garcia, another sophomore scheduled to take the Algebra 1 Regents Exam. “I’m not going to learn everything all at once.”

 

Still, some students said extra support has helped ease the stress.

 

“I feel like it’s too much sometimes, but I stay after school with Ms. Beth and she helps me,” said Eileen Lopez, a freshman who will be taking the Algebra 1 and Biology Regents Examinations in June 2026.

 

Not all students view Regents exams negatively. Antonio Gutierrez, a junior, said last year’s testing season felt manageable. “It honestly wasn’t that bad,” he said. “It was studying, reviewing books, and looking over what I wrote.”

 

School leaders say the state is beginning to rethink how students show mastery.

 

“One thing New York State is working on is alternatives to Regents,” said Amy Piller, principal of UA Maker. “There may be other ways to show competency, like performance tasks or long-term projects.”

 

Piller, who took Regents exams herself, said preparation matters. “My classes felt harder than the Regents,” she said. “So the exams became more of an afterthought.”

 

While Regents remain a graduation requirement, conversations about future alternatives continue. For now, UA Maker students prepare, review, and support one another as testing week approaches.

 

“I want our classes to feel challenging enough that by the time students reach the exam, they already feel confident,” Piller said.

 

As Regents week nears, the hallways may fall quiet during testing periods, but the emotions surrounding them remain loud across the school.