New Schedule Forces Necessary But Uncomfortable Changes

The shift to the new schedule has resulted in an increased number of classes in a day, bringing with it more homework and less time for extracurriculars, the transition provides several benefits, including morning Assembly, shorter classes, and an increased efficiency. Like many of my peers, my experience this year began with time management challenges, but I am slowly learning to adjust and grow from them. 

For the first time in four years at Hopkins, all of my classes meet on a single day (Maroon Tuesdays). Each subject requires its own set of skills, some of which overlap, but activating all these in a day can be daunting. Shifting gears constantly with less time in between each subject, creates more stress around the average day at Hopkins. There also exists an imbalance of classes during the day for senior schoolers with four straight classes before lunch and only two after. This poorly designed structure in addition to more classes all facilitate difficulty achieving a constant focus throughout the day.

More classes per day have also brought more homework. According to Ms. Waters, the average senior school student taking five academic classes including two AP classes has two hours and 48 minutes of homework per night, compared to the two hours, 54 minutes min last year. In theory, the amount of homework is supposed to be less than last year by six minutes, but these parameters weren’t met in reality. In a survey filled out by Hopkins students, tenth graders logged two hours and 14 minutes of homework each night last year, and three hours and 13 minutes this year. Last year’s eleventh graders reported having average of three hours and five minutes of homework nightly, while this year’s eleventh graders report having three hours and 23 minutes. The data shows a significant increase in homework from last year to this year for sophomores and juniors with the new schedule change. 

I have also found myself going to bed around an hour later than last year each day — not a coincidence with the extra class in the schedule and thus extra homework. The increase in homework takes away from other activities such as music, art, clubs, and even down time.

Despite the cons of a more time-consuming schedule, the new schedule has some notable benefits. Monday and Friday assemblies are my favorite part of the transition, allowing the community to connect before the day begins. Assemblies both inform and excite students about upcoming events at school, and sometimes draw our attention to issues occurring outside of our immediate bubbles. Whether it’s an informative speaker, a performance from the orchestra, or meditation and breathing exercises, the variety of activities offered during assembly set a positive, often inspiring tone for the rest of the day.

Another major beneficial change to this year’s schedule is class length; Classes are now 55 minutes long, down from 65 minutes last year. The 10-minute difference appears minor at first glance, but students’ attention spans generally decrease after 10 to 15 minutes, according to the American Physiology Society. Their experiment, which required students to press on a clicker each time they experience attention lapses, revealed that attention span is inconsistent, further decreasing as the lecture continues. The additional 10 minutes of class in last year’s schedule likely included multiple lapses in attention for many students, a consequence that the change to shorter classes is able to lessen in severity.  

The greater number of classes in a day has also forced me to become more efficient with my schoolwork. The pandemic softened my ability to work for longer intervals and disrupted almost three critical years of learning for all students, and the schedule serves as a wake-up call to return to that level. 

Compared to last year, when many classes would meet every other day, this year’s schedule has resulted in many blocks meeting four days in a row. The lack of a time cushion between classes and, when assignments are due, has forced me to drastically cut back on my procrastination. Though undesirable in theory, the increased frequency of classes has motivated me.

The new schedule benefits students with Assembly, shorter classes, and nudges to efficiency, outweighing the negative effects of a greater homework load and regularity of classes. 

The schedule initially caused a panic among students because of the lack of time available to pursue clubs, other interests, and simple but necessary tasks like eating dinner or showering. It affects senior schoolers in particular because of factors such as AP classes, college preparations like the SAT and ACT, and responsibilities such as leading clubs. 

Nevertheless, I am already beginning to get used to all the effects of the new schedule. The schedule is unlikely to change in the near future; we must all accept it and adapt to it so that we can grow.