I came into college a morning person. Ever since I was a baby, I was considered the "early bird" of the family. All that being said, an 8 a.m. should have come naturally, right? I was wrong. I had my first 8 a.m. class on Mondays and Wednesdays during my first semester in college. I heard all kinds of horror stories from family and friends, but I wanted to find out for myself. Let's just say I learned my lesson.
For the past two semesters, I have experimented with the opposite side of the spectrum- night classes. Part of it was because I did not have a choice, since a few of the required journalism classes are only offered at night. The other part of me realized that I slightly enjoy night classes. It may sound crazy, but let me explain a few reasons why.
1. Most night classes are only once a week.
Here at Temple, night classes usually last from 5:30-8 p.m. once a week or twice a week for an hour and twenty minutes. Two hours plus may sound dreadful, but once you get through the first couple of weeks, it is not that terrible. I realized that I am more awake in the evening than I am in the morning. Grab a cup (or pot) of your favorite coffee and walk into class ready to work!
2. You can take a nap before class.
The way my schedule works this semester allows for a nap between classes. I look forward to Wednesdays for the pure fact that I can get my beauty sleep during the day since I will probably be up for most of the night. I get out of class at two in the afternoon and head straight to my bed for a couple hours. I also think it is less challenging to wake up in the middle of the day rather than waking up at the crack of dawn.
3. If you're not a nap person, you can use the time to get work done.
Although it is rare, there are a couple days when I have the motivation to do homework during the day rather than staying up all night. I know plenty of people that are not big nap-takers and that is perfectly fine. Use the time before class to be productive and get some work done.
4. Professors give a break in between or let you out early.
Last semester, I had a public speaking professor who would always give us the option of getting a 15 minute break or getting out of class early. We always chose the latter because who doesn't love getting out of class half an hour early?
5. Professors also have sympathy for your appetites.
Although I do not condone bringing a full meal to your night class, it is sometimes necessary. At the same time, some professors may not like the idea of people paying more attention to their meals than the lesson. In that case, there is nothing wrong with having a snack. Chips, cookies, or a bagel from Einstein's should be enough to hold you until class is over.
6. 8 a.m. classes aren't nearly as engaging.
At 8 in the morning, everyone is just waking up, including your professor. In the class I had, it was painful for my professor to try to get us to interact and be engaged when we were still half asleep. The coffee wouldn't usually kick in for me until class was over. In a night class, you have all the time you need to wake up and participate, even if it is an hour later.
7. You form a special "bond" with the people in your night class.
One thing I learned from having a night class for two semesters in a row is you meet people that you wouldn't normally meet during the day. I've met graduate students, commuters, and part-time students that come to class straight from work. Since they are also adjusting to having night classes, they are the ones who you can complain to or help outside of class. If you're lucky, they may also bring boxes of coffee to class along the way.
Regardless of what anyone tells you about night classes, they are not as terrible as they sound. I am a prime example of how college can shift your sleeping habits from being an early bird to a night owl in the matter of one semester.
