Does it feel like school has started way too early this year? If you looked around school before the start of classes, you probably wouldn’t notice how students are feeling just by the looks on their faces. Before classes start, students like to meet their friends at Querbes Hall, the Commons, or Burks Place to hang out. However, once that time is over, the exhaustion students feel becomes clear in their classes: slumped bodies at desks, eyes staring into space, and especially naps. There’s no doubt- students left and right are walking around school half-asleep, myself included. Because of how low students’ energy levels stay throughout the day, school should absolutely start later in the morning so people can get some much-needed rest.

There’s no doubt that everyone’s busy, constantly moving from activity to activity in daily life. Schoolwork, athletics, extracurriculars, jobs—all of these activities can easily stack up and overwhelm students if they have too much on their plate. Often, students will wake up extremely early to get started on homework before classes begin. By moving the start time of classes fifteen or thirty minutes later, students who are behind on schoolwork would have slightly more time to catch up.

Additionally, classes should start later because students could get into catastrophic situations if they rush to drive to school. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over one thousand people died from vehicle-related accidents between 2013 and 2022. Tired students are especially susceptible to vehicular accidents, and later start times would help reduce the risk.

Lastly, later-starting classes could boost the morale of not just students, but faculty members as well! The difference between a fatigued and energized classroom is like night and day, and it creates a fun, effective, and enjoyable atmosphere for everyone.

So the next time you find yourself at four A.M. in your bedroom cramming for a huge test, remember how much a class later in the morning could benefit your schedule, add a couple minutes of much-needed rest, and improve the well-being of the whole school!