At a certain point during each school year, the time comes when we all must plan out our schedules for the upcoming year. Other than what professors are assigned to teach each course, most of us make our decision on which classes to take based on the time of day the classes are scheduled. So the question is, which is better? Morning, afternoon, or night classes? While everyone’s answers will differ based on preference and living habits, I’m here to tell you why morning and early afternoon classes are superior.
Here at Monmouth University, the earliest classes take place at 8:30 a.m. which may not sound too bad, but taking into consideration how long the commute and getting ready for the day will take, you’re likely going to have to wake up at least an hour before then. I know some of us are already against this idea, but there are actually many benefits to taking 8:30 classes.
Personally, I’ve found that my productivity levels for the day decrease the later I sleep. I wake up feeling groggy, and the sleep-induced brain fog stays with me all the way into the afternoon. If you can relate to this, then maybe you should consider taking 8:30 classes. Assuming you plan to attend each class session, 8:30s will force you to get up and start your day at a reasonable hour in addition to helping you avoid sleeping the day away.
Aside from setting yourself up for a more productive day, Yazan Hamzeh explains in his article “Benefits of Waking Up Early” for SleepFoundation.org that waking up earlier can actually improve mental health. The article explains that people who sleep later tend to experience higher levels of anxiety and depression as compared to those who wake up earlier.
In addition to better mental health, the article also explains that early risers and late risers will have different times of the day when they reach peak performance. The article implies that early birds will have higher performance levels in the morning; however, even if you don’t consider yourself an early riser, a simple adjustment to your sleep schedule can increase your morning productivity.
An increase in morning productivity leaves more time throughout the afternoon and nights to focus on other activities, such as your hobbies or hanging out with friends.
Overall, there is nothing better than going into the afternoon knowing you’ve completed all of your classes for the day and still have so much time to yourself in contrast to sleeping half the day away then having to get up and go to class.
Despite everything coming down to personal preference on whether or not you prefer your mornings or nights free, there are so many benefits to getting up and getting to work. But don’t just take it from me.
Bailey Fredericks is a junior studying communication. She explained, “I like morning classes because they allow me to start my day early, and then I have the whole afternoon to go to the gym, complete homework, and do other housekeeping tasks. I also like being able to have my nights off!”
Junior health studies student and member of the MU cheerleading team Samantha Belgio said, “I prefer morning classes because I usually have practice at night. Night classes often interfere with my practice schedule or make me feel like I have a crammed schedule going from class to practice back to back. Morning classes give me enough time to get everything done and still have free time for myself during the afternoons.”
“I like morning classes better than night classes because it’s a good start to my day and it keeps me busy so by the time I get home I still have a good amount of my day left. During the night I have time to do homework and hang out with my roommates,” agreed Maya Malizia, junior sociology student.
So later this semester when you’re considering what classes to take in the fall, remember all of the benefits you can receive by taking earlier classes and perhaps plan accordingly.
