Early bird or night owl

Morning classes vs afternoon classes

Registering for classes is a huge deal. Between trying to find the classes you want while also avoiding loading your schedule with 8 a.m. lectures, registration can be a nightmare. When you choose your classes, it is vital to keep in mind that you need to set aside time for your work and social life. For some people, getting everything done before noon is the way to go whereas others have found that they need a few hours of sleep in order to perform. Everyone has a preference, and there’s good and bad for both.

I have been on all ends of the spectrum when dealing with morning, afternoon, and now night classes. Whether one is better than the other is completely up to the student and what they deem more important. Morning classes are not limited to the typical 8 a.m. lecture. Morning classes typically range from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Afternoon classes can range anywhere from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. 

 After asking 10 different Tarleton students what their preference was if they had the choice between a morning or afternoon class, 4 students chose morning classes, 5 chose afternoon classes and one was undecided. Students that chose afternoon classes explained that they liked being able to get a little more rest because it made them feel more productive throughout the day. 

The early birds explained that despite the fact that being productive in the mornings is hard, once you are done, you are done. The rest of your day is yours to enjoy doing what you want.

“Going to class in the morning gets school out of the way, not that it is not a priority to me, but I also have to work in order to maintain my lifestyle and pay for other necessities.” Tarleton State senior Delaney Blagg said.

To counteract, “-students who attended afternoon classes receive better grades than those who took morning ones.” Penn State concluded. 

“For every hour of class that you have later, you get about a .02 difference, so three hours of difference between class start times will result in a .06 difference in grades (Reimold 1).” Psychologists Serge Onyper and Pamela Thacher explained.

If you’re a strict believer in science, then there’s the proof that afternoon classes are the better of the two. However, that information shouldn’t change your lifestyle. If you’re an early bird and like to get things done, more power to you. Whenever your classes might be, whether you had a choice or not, always go to class.