Social Schedule
How block scheduling has impacted student life
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hen you saw your 2020-2021 schedule for the first time, there was a major change: four-period-a-day block scheduling. For some, longer periods have meant longer time to spend with current friends and more opportunities to make new ones. But for others, these hour-and-a-halfclasses are simply more time to sit at a desk, preventing students from moving around and exchanging words with friends. Sitting through an 88 minute block feels like quite the departure from 45 minute periods, but for senior Lulu Yang, it’s been an easy adjustment. “I prefer the block because I feel that we can accomplish more in class,” Yang said. Yang describes her social life in and outside of class as a full one, and understands the effect on connections going online has had. “We lose the connection a class can build in a physical classroom compared to an electronic class,” Yang said.
Molly Bray, a freshman, acknowledges that block scheduling has its ups and downs. “There are pros and cons to it,” Bray said. “The cons are I can’t go to choir every day, but I do like having a longer time in certain classes like chemistry. Some classes you need to meet every day, so it’s hard to do that.” On the other hand, freshman Hannah Michel says she’s grown to appreciate it. “At first I didn’t like it because it takes a while to get used to hour and a half long classes every day,” Michel said. Though these longer periods mean more time away from friends, it presents a unique opportunity to talk to new people. “In some of the classes, your options are either sit in silence for an extra thirty minutes, or get to learn about somebody new and have a cool conversation,” Michel said. Social interactions play a key role in a student’s social, emotional and mental health. For Bray, socialization is a crucial element, even more so
during this pandemically-ravaged time. “[Socialization] is really important, especially during the quarantine. If you weren’t in touch with others, you could feel really alone. I think that friends and family are important, especially now, and I couldn’t imagine life without my friends and family,” Bray said While social interaction is important to feeling connected with the world, for Yang, it is also an important aspect in growing as a person. “Socialization is important in a student’s life because it helps them grow their character and develop into who they want to be,” Yang said. Socialization can expose other students to their peers’ ideas and how they think, something Michel has experienced first hand. “It can make the biggest difference ever, seeing other peoples’ opinions and how they view the world and also having their encouragement. Having someone saying ‘hey, it’s great to see you’ is amazing,” Michel said.
In-Person vs Bridge Students “When I’m going from class to class, I never really have to time to stop and chat with a friend because my classes are so spread apart.”
Freshman Vanessa Holloway
“I personally don't like block because I have to wait so long to see and talk to my friends who I might have an A class with, but not a B class with.”
Freshman Gabriella Graham
“Since, I am a bridge student... I feel that since my schedule is different, I don’t socialize as much as I used to.”
Senior Michael Reisinger By Molly Hotek Design By Michaela Brown
