Teen Talk Teenagers + 8 o'clock classes

B A D

By Brooke Johnson

It’s a well known fact that

teenagers need more sleep

than adults, so why do

some colleges require

freshmen to take 8 o’clock

classes? College students’

brains simply cannot

function properly this early

in the morning. Studies show

that teens need a minimum of

9.25 hours of sleep each night to

be able to properly function during

school. In order to get up, shower, get

ready and make it to class by 8:00 AM,

this means students would have to be in bed

and sleeping by approximately 10:00 PM at the

latest! 10:00?? I can’t remember the last time I was

asleep by 10:00 and this is probably also true for a majority of

the teenage population.

I was fortunate enough to get a great schedule for college next

year- my first class is not until 10 AM, but this year I am

doing dual-enrollment at Forsyth Tech Community College

and I have the pleasure of being enrolled in an 8 o’clock class.

I try to go to bed as early as possible the nights before my 8

o’clock class, but nine times out of ten, it just doesn’t happen.

I find myself groggily rolling out of bed at 7:15 AM, putting

on the first clothes I see, getting in the car and trying not to

speed so I can get all the way across town by 8 to make it to

class on time. And even after all of this I find that I am still in

a complete daze throughout the entire class and my eyelids

feel like they weigh about ten pounds.

Teenagers not only enjoy staying up late (and sleeping in), but

normally have things to do until late at night. Between part

time jobs and homework it is nearly impossible to be in bed

before midnight every night. So there are a few options that

we have for this situation: One, forget about making some

extra money to pay for those $4.00 gallons of gas-quit your

job! Two, don’t worry about studying for tests, doing

homework or projects, it’s just thousands of dollars that are

being paid for you to be at college -- I’m sure parents won’t

mind if you fail all your classes! Or three, take away

requirements to enroll in 8 o’clock classes, or take away the

option to take 8 o’clock classes, period.

My opinion is to go with option number three. Students’

ability to learn will be significantly increased if they are not

forced to be in class by 8 AM. It has been scientifically proven

that a lack of sleep affects grades; this should be enough

evidence to convince any college to take away 8 o’clock

classes. I know, parents and teachers are thinking “JUST GO

TO BED EARLIER!” But teenagers don’t go to bed early, they

haven’t for generations and they probably won’t for many

generations to come. So schools should make a choice; keep

earlier classes with students making lower grades or, the better

choice, later classes with significantly better grades. See

http://www.parent-teen.com/yourbody/sleep2.html for more

information.