I remember back to three years ago when I began my school days with US History I. Everyone was exhausted, and almost no one had the motivation to contribute to the class or even talk to friends. It was a very uneventful way to start the day. 

Now, with the new start time of 8 a.m., I am able to walk into class ready to focus and socialize. I notice the same of the people around me. The classes at the start of my day, unlike three years ago, are now just as engaging as the classes at the end of my day.

While 40 minutes is not a colossal shift, I feel that the new start time has led students to not only participate more in their classes but also enjoy them more.

With the new start time, the first period of the day is essentially taking place when period two used to be. With this change, I feel more energized during this first period.

This is largely because the 8 a.m. start allows students to sleep later. I have definitely been able to sleep better this year compared to previous years. I’m waking up at a time that feels more natural for me, so I’m less reliant on my alarm; with the old schedule, I had to set five of those just to get out of bed. While I did get into a bad habit of staying up late during the pandemic, I am at least going to bed around the same time I did last year, and the extra sleep in the morning gives me more energy throughout the school day. 

This doesn’t just apply to me, though. I think that the new start time generally aligns better with the body clock of the typical high school student. According to the Sleep Foundation, there is a biological shift that occurs in most teenagers during puberty known as a “phase delay.” This delays the optimal time for sleep, and the typical teenager operates best on a schedule where they go to sleep around 11 p.m. and wake up around 8 a.m. While the 8 a.m. start time does not align perfectly with these hours, students can still receive a solid 7.5 to 8 hours of sleep and make it to school on time if they go to bed at 11 p.m.

Regarding delays in the lunch schedule or the end of the school day, personally, I don’t mind them. You might think that people would get hungry waiting around for a 12:30 p.m. third lunch. However, it seems that even more people had this problem during the day when we were using the old schedule since people had less time in the morning to eat a balanced breakfast. Getting out at 1:50 was always nice, but a 2:30 finish still gives students plenty of time for clubs, sports, homework and other extracurriculars. Plus, the schedule has been designed so that the periods towards the end of the day are on the shorter side, making the end of the day go by faster.

Some individuals have also been concerned about the lack of time between the end of the school day and the beginning of sports practices, as many student-athletes need time after school to attend other clubs or meet with a teacher. Even with the old schedule, clubs and extra help sessions took place at the same time, making it difficult for students to divide their time. However, the positive difference that the start makes in the morning is far more impactful than the shift from 1 hour to 30 minutes for these after-school activities. Most clubs and activities tend to keep their meetings around 30 minutes anyways. 

I do understand where people are coming from when they say the new start time has done more harm than good. A number of sacrifices have been made in order for this to work, but the new start time is allowing students to be more energized and enthusiastic to participate in-class activities and make the most of their school days. I feel that these somewhat minor sacrifices are worth it for the benefits this schedule brings.