Unlike the majority of my fellow students, I have never disliked attending school.  Besides math, I find my other classes interesting and stimulating.  The topics in classes like English, Social Studies and electives always spur my imagination.  That being said, there are many nuisances that could be avoided to make school a positive experience for all, rather than the nearly universally dreaded one it has become. With so many great opportunities laid out in front of us, it is tragic that so many students stray away. The image of the school system has been corrupted, detracting from the importance of the knowledge and life experience it gives us. Many of the worst problems lie within the small, everyday issues students’ face. Start times, for example.

Although schools around the country promote getting a good night’s rest, we are forced to get up at times as early as five A.M. Many times, earlier. Just like the staff, students have lives outside of the school doors. Every night there are countless obstacles that are preventing kids from getting that advised amount of sleep. Personally, my biggest issue with getting enough sleep is late nights at work. Along with nearly all other students, I have a job that can keep me there until times as late as 11:30 and in some cases, midnight. Along with work being an obstacle barring sleep, other examples include: chores, homework, essays, projects; the list goes on. Additionally, kids are forced to balance them with sports, extracurricular activities, hobbies and exercising.

As you deal with these stresses on the daily, you are running on little sleep, caused by this cycle of going to bed too late and waking up too early. Being this groggy and tired, going through a school day filled with resentment, one will not intake nearly enough information and not nearly enough drive to gain this knowledge. Feeling rejuvenated, and in return happier, after a good night of beauty sleep, people can be eager to learn and engage in classroom discussions, leading to more enlightening and intuitive conversations. From these conversations and class ventures, true lessons of life will be taught and brilliant ideas formed.