Early Morning or Night Classes?

Which is the lesser of two evils: 8 a.m. classes or classes after 5 p.m.? The answer to this question will likely vary from person to person. The night owls will say that 8 a.m. classes are their worst nightmare, and that their optimal cognitive performance occurs during the nighttime. The morning people will say that they prefer to get their classes over with and enjoy the rest of their day. They may also say that they are too tired in the evening to attend a night class. Others might say that it doesn’t really matter; both of them suck. 

As a night owl, I believe that the night classes would be more enjoyable. I’ve never had a lecture at night, but I have had plenty of 8 a.m. classes, and they are, in fact, my worst nightmare. However, I will say that if I’m really interested in a class, I will take it, even if it’s at 8 a.m., but I will not be happy about it. There was a time when the earliest classes at St. Lawrence University were offered at 8:10 a.m., but now the earliest classes are offered at 8 a.m. sharp. You might think that 10 minutes wouldn’t make a huge difference, but it does. I need those extra 10 minutes of sleep. 

Additionally, I believe that 8 a.m. classes are much more intolerable on Fridays, especially since I know that many people do not have classes on Fridays. I have never had a night class, but I have had a chemistry lab at night. Even though I am a night owl, I still would not recommend it. If you ever have the choice between taking a night lab and an afternoon lab, choose the afternoon lab; it will save you a lot of regret. However, I do think that I would enjoy having a lecture at night, especially since I do my best thinking during the evening, and I have a lot of energy during that time. 

Although I may be biased toward night classes, I do see that there are pros and cons to both times. For instance, if you don’t have any early morning classes, you may find yourself sleeping the day away. But if you have a reason to get up early in the morning, this will force you to get up, get ready, and have a productive day. If you get your classes over with early, this will free up time for you to get things done. It could be worse. In high school, I had to get up at 6 a.m. and arrive at school by 7:20 a.m. I’m sure that many of you relate to this. When I think about it this way, getting up at 7:05 a.m. for my 8 a.m. class does not seem so bad. 

Also, it seems that only 8 a.m. classes are difficult for me. I enjoy having classes in the late morning. I think that the classes in the hours of 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. are perfect. The classes are not too early, but they end early enough for me to have a good amount of time left in the day. Additionally, what is difficult about a night course is that it may be dark when you go to class, especially in the winter, when it will sometimes get dark as early as 4 p.m. If you’re someone who’s used to doing leisure activities at night, it may be difficult to focus in the evening, especially when it’s dark out. Moreover, depending on your sleep habits and typical energy levels throughout the day, you may feel more tired at night, which could also make it hard to focus. Finally, night classes could interfere with sports or extracurricular activities. 

However, if you’re someone who has more energy at night and tends to stay up late, then you may be more tired when you’re in an 8 a.m. class compared to a night class. Additionally, if you do not enjoy getting up in the morning, then it may be tempting to skip an 8 a.m. class. But you may be less likely to skip a night class. At the end of the day, I think that whether you would benefit more from early morning or night classes depends on who you are. I’m sure that many would agree that the best times for classes are in the late morning and afternoon, and of course, not on Fridays.