I’m taking an 8 am class four days a week for my first semester.
I tried not to, but to get in all the classes I need and the labs that go with them I had to take at least on in the morning.
It’s calculus one which I’ve already taken so I’m not really worried about the difficulty level.
At first I didn’t worry, but from the way people talk, it seems like taking an 8 am class is the worst thing you can do.
This is why I didn’t worry:
I’m living on campus
I usually had to be up by 5:45-6:00 to get to school on time for all of high school.
I took two A period classes in highschool that started a 7:15.
I’ve never once been late for school (or any class) or overslept.
I’ve been getting myself up and ready for school beofre my parents even wake up since 6th grade.
The latest I ever sleep in is 9 and I’m usually awake by 8:00 even when I have nothing to do.
So am I going to be fine or am I being naive?
It’s really a personal opinion. People I talk to it’s split 50/50 of them hating 8AM classes, or liking them. Some pros is that it’s out of the way, people think better around an hour or two after they wake up, you have more energy throughout the day, etc.
For me, I couldn’t do an 8AM class and haven’t since sophomore year of high school. Earliest I can do is 10-11AM, but I usually stay up late.
8 AM classes are not that bad. I took Calc II at 8 AM everyday last semester, and it was fine. I only missed class once, and I never had to leave events early or anything to make sure I got enough sleep. Honestly most people make 8AM out to be worse than it is. You’ve had classes that early for the past 4 years, and will likely have work that early the rest of your life.
“It’s calculus one which I’ve already taken so I’m not really worried about the difficulty level”
LOL–a million years ago I did this. I was lucky to ever get to that class. Waking up at 8 am for an’ 8 am class doesn’t work. And then it’s cold outside and your bed feels good. And you’re tired still. And what the heck? Already know how to get the right answer. Just make sure you show up for the exam!
It really depends on the person. Some people like them, some people them. The only way to find out whether 8 AM classes are your cup of tea, is to take an 8 AM class. I had 8 AMs last semester and I hate them with a passion.
I have a friend who did her undergrad in Hawai’i, and she talks about how the early morning classes were always the first to fill up, with everyone trying to leave their afternoons open for the best surfing.
Really, though, if you’re a morning person (or have been able to train yourself to be okay with mornings), 8AM classes are golden. If you’re not, they’re painful. From what you said it sounds like you’ll be okay, but really, you’re the only one who can answer that for yourself.
It depends on the individual. I have a lot less willpower when I first wake up compared to other times, which means I’m more susceptible to skipping early classes. I wouldn’t avoid an early class just because it was early, but otherwise I don’t see a need to create unnecessary difficulties. (For what it’s worth, I’m a commuter with no social life.)
It sounds like you’ll be fine, though.
My senior year of high school allowed me to come to school during 3rd period (basically 10 am), which is what I got used to, so I am horrified by 8 AMs.
But one thing I noticed on my campus is that while socializing happens at all times of the day, the bonding-type stuff usually happens later at night. I noticed that the people in my circle of friends who weren’t always in-the-loop with our activities were the ones who always had to dip before midnight because they had early classes.
There is nothing special about 8AM classes. It’s the same as needing to do anything at an early time. Some people are going to like it, some people are going to not like it, and some people won’t care. There is nothing inherently wrong with a class just because it’s at 8AM.
The people who don’t like things are often the most vocal when it comes to things like these. The people who don’t care about early morning classes or who like them generally don’t say anything about it unless asked, whereas the people who hate 8AM classes are the ones who are really going to complain. For some students, it’s not an issue at all. For others, they really enjoy or prefer for scheduling reasons early classes. Many college students don’t like waking up early in the morning for tons of reasons, and since many students have the option to choose a different class at a different time, then of course those students are going to try and get a different schedule.
It’s really fine. You know yourself better than anyone else. If you know you’re the type of person to sleep in and skip class if you have the option too, then schedule your classes differently. If you don’t have an issue getting up early, then it’s not a problem. If you have to take a class at a certain time, then you have to take a class at a certain time. It doesn’t really matter if it’s a great time or not.
I refuse to take a class earlier than 9 lol
It is definitely a personal thing. I rarely stay up past 10:30 and usually get up between 5 and 6 AM, so my schedule has a lot of 8 AM classes for this fall (rising Freshman). I become a morning person immediately after drinking my morning caffeinated beverage and showering. Since both my middle and high schools started at 7:20, I do not consider 8 AM classes early.
I agree that it depends on the student and the student’s habits. If you survive in a chronic sleep deprived state and have a hard time getting up most mornings at a reasonable time then early classes will be a challenge for you. There may be some advantages to being in early classes which may tend to be smaller due to the timing so you may get more personal attention. I know when I was in college a million years ago, I preferred morning classes to afternoon or evening classes. I tend to feel sleepy for a while after lunch which makes it harder for me to pay attention. I suspect that the early morning person at college today gets to use gym equipment or laundry equipment with far less waiting then the students who typically sleep in.
I don’t know why but my kid used to be able to take 8:00am class but since starting college she rarely takes 8:00am class unless the teacher is known to be good and that’s the only class he is teaching.
You sound like a morning person. If so, then you will be fine. Just be careful comparing to high school where you were at home with your parents the night before where in college you’ll be in a dorm with a lot of friends and people to hang out with. Late nights are more appealing. Of course, there are always afternoon naps…
8 am classes were hard for me because I would stay up so late studying, especially when I had research papers due or exams to study for. My English professor actually told me that had I been on time for my 8am class, I would have gotten an A rather than a B. She also suggested that I never take an 8 am class again.