Waking up early for a class can be daunting. Students struggle to adjust to their new school schedules every year.
One of those students, junior Michael Drews, takes physical chemistry at 8 a.m.
Drews said an early class “requires a lot of brain power, especially when you are trying [to do equations.] Waking up at 7 a.m. is a little brutal.”
However, there are benefits to an 8 a.m. class.
Junior Annie Bergquist takes exercise science at 8 a.m. She said the early time helps her manage time more effectively.
Bergquist also enjoys seeing “[professors] first thing in the morning. You get [a lot of] energy and they [involve] you in class a bit more.”
While Bergquist acknowledges that it is a struggle to get up in the morning, she thinks students can eventually settle into an earlier schedule.
SU students can also take advantage of the benefits an early class provides.
Bergquist recommended that “if [a student] is prone to rising early, taking an 8 a.m. class would be [beneficial].”
A study with 824 undergraduate students at the University of North Texas, Denton found that students who sleep and wake up earlier are more likely to have higher standardized test scores and a better GPA, according to WebMD.
However, “sleepiness and poor sleep quality are prevalent among university students, affecting their academic performance and daytime functioning,” according to the American Academy for Sleep Medicine.
AASM spokesperson Dennis Nicholson, MD recommended that students “schedule classes to start later, maybe after 11 a.m.”
The cons outweigh the pros of early morning classes at SU. Being well rested and prepared in the morning is important.
By RYAN MACKESEY
Staff writer
Featured photo by Brad Boardman