By: Muhammad Saad Iftikhar, SFU Student
Finding the motivation to get up and go to class can be hard, especially if you happen to have lecture scheduled at an inconvenient time. Is it better to get up early and get school over with, saving the rest of your day for more pleasant activities, or is having time to carefully work through your daily routines before class the optimal route? Here are my thoughts on the best and worst times to have class.
8:30 a.m.: Going to class at 8:30 a.m. can mean waking up at least two hours before the class. Living away from university in Metro Vancouver takes between minutes and hours on public transport during normal rush hours. This means rushing to make breakfast and get ready before the bus leaves. One bonus that comes with this time is waking up with the sun in preparation for a future of co-op studies, or a professional career.
10:30: Classes held slightly later in the day give students some room to stay up later at night — for partying or studying purposes, whatever. It also allows students enough time to complete morning rituals like showering, getting ready, carefully choosing a weather-layered outfit, and preparing notes for class. As a bonus, there’s still enough time after class for social activities.
12:30 p.m.: Most of my peers prefer to go to class at this time because it allows for a comfortable amount of time to do exercises in the morning. Students are thus able to go to class with a fresh mind. One possible downside is having to postpone lunch, especially if the professor doesn’t allow eating in class.
2:30: It’s the middle of the day for most students, which means students having to manage schedules for various activities before and after the class. This kind of break up makes it hard to motivate oneself in the morning while waiting for class to start, and even harder in the evening, after class ends. The result is that not a lot actually gets done aside from going to class.
5:30: Evening and night classes are obviously beneficial for night owls and those with part-time jobs. These classes give students a lot of room to do all the things they need to during the day — whether that be test preparation or hangover recovery. For some students, this time slot can be annoying as they look forward to night as the time they get to relax.
Overall, the best times to take classes are in the mornings. It’s best to get classes over with early to have time to do other things in the afternoon, such as volunteering and socializing. This helps to break up the monotony of school and also establishes consistent routines throughout the week and into the future. Later morning classes have the added benefit of allowing time at the gym, which boosts metabolism and helps the body and the mind to get through the day with full energy. Afternoon or evening classes leave students with the temptation to spend most of the day sleeping, which disturbs daily rhythms.
