Introduction: For many students worldwide, school achievements and final exams results are a significant challenge and are understood as determinates of their future college and university education, as well as their professional career. The COVID-19 pandemic not only forced schools to close and a ban on gatherings, but also introduced many new solutions and measures regarding the conduct of final exams, for which students had been preparing for years. In Poland, the government shut schools in 2020, two months before the usual time for final exams. This significant factor required modification in the manner and course of the final stage of preparation for the ‘maturity’ exam, which resulted in limited contact with teachers and peers, leading to intense emotions and personal challenges. Method: The study aim was to point out the specific COVID-19 stress experience of high school students who were on the verge of graduating. 120 high school students from South Poland [40 men (33%) and 80 women (66%), aged 18-19 years], who were preparing for the final high school exam in Poland in 2020, participated in the online survey. Phenomenological content analysis of the structured open-ended questionnaire was used. Results: It was found that the subjective experiences of students were mostly negative to Covid-19 restrictions and remote learning, expressed not only as negative emotions to the new, surprising, and hence fearful situation, but also as negative attitude s towards routine changes. The strong need to develop new adaptation mechanisms necessary to cope with the isolating circumstances was also explored. Conclussions: The study provides new supplements on mental health prevention (not only during pandemic) in students who were on the verge of graduating.