School starts incredibly early, and I think it affects students more than people realize. My school starts at 8:00 a.m., which means I have to wake up at 6:00 a.m. every school day. I know that may not seem very early to some people, but by the time I get ready and drive to school, I feel tired. When I have to wake up that early, it is much harder for me to focus in class. I know a lot of other students feel the same way because it is difficult to learn when you are still trying to wake up. School is supposed to be a place where students can do their best, but it is hard to do that when you are exhausted before the day even begins.
I have a lot of homework after school, and I also swim for my team. After I finish practice, I still have assignments to complete, and I also want a little time to relax before going to bed. Because of all these responsibilities, I usually do not get to sleep until around 11:00 p.m. on school nights. Then I have to wake up at 6:00 a.m., which gives me only about seven hours of sleep. Many students have busy schedules with sports, clubs, family responsibilities, or jobs, so I know I am not the only one who struggles to get enough rest.
I also have noticed how being tired affects me at school. One morning, I came to school feeling exhausted because I had stayed up late finishing homework. During my first class, the teacher gave us an assignment, but I could not focus. I had to read the directions several times because my brain just did not feel awake. Instead of feeling ready to learn, I started thinking, “It doesn’t really matter, I will probably fail anyway.” I know that is not the right attitude, but when I am very tired, it is much harder to stay motivated and believe that I can do well. I think many students lose confidence when they are exhausted, even if they are capable of doing the work.
I believe a good solution would be for school to start a little later, around 9 or 9:30 a.m. I think this would give students more time to sleep and feel prepared for the school day. With more sleep, students would have more energy, pay better attention, remember more information, and do better on assignments and tests. Some schools already start later, and their students are still successful. Even the Summer Bridge program I attend this summer starts at 9:00 a.m., which shows that students can still learn and succeed with a later start time. I understand that changing the schedule would not be easy because many students have clubs and school activities after school. However, I think school could slowly test a later start time to see if it improves student learning and well-being.
I think starting school late would make a positive difference for students. Students would have more energy, focus better, and feel less tired during the school day. They would have a better chance to succeed because they would be awake and ready to learn instead of struggling to stay focused. Getting enough sleep is important for both our physical health and our education. I hope schools will seriously consider starting later because even a small change could make a big difference in students’ lives.
Sviatoslav Yastrubetskyi – St. Ignatius College Prep – DMSF Class of 2030
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