Opinions

Little sleep affects students health and learning ability

Raina Schutz
December 6, 2012

Kids need sleep, and lots of it. So why do schools make them wake up early the one day in the year that they have stayed up until 12 eating candy? Thanksgiving Break we have an entire week off, for Winter Break we have two weeks off, but for some reason, we are only allowed a half day break the day of Halloween, even though kids stay up really late on Halloween night while eating nothing but junk food.

“I felt super sick because I only got about two hours of sleep after hanging out with friends all night, and eating tons of junk food,” Madeline Glass, freshman, said. The day after Halloween, Glass said that she could not concentrate at all, being exhausted and feeling sick to her stomach, but she still had to go to school.

The average amount of sleep in high school is about 6 to 7 hours. The average amount of sleep that teens need to function correctly is about 8 and 1/2 hours, according to the National Sleep Foundation. When teens have to wake up early, their brains don’t function like they normally do. They tend to feel be exhausted for the entire day, sometimes even causing them to fall asleep in class. this could make them not take all the notes they need for a test. Not sleeping enough could damage grades.

Not only does not having enough sleep make people tired, but people can only take in so much information at a time. When kids are tired they can’t take in as much information as they normally can. They cannot recall as much information as they normally would. If students had a test that day, they might not be able to remember all the information.

Why isn’t school cut the day after Halloween? Is it because the limit of non-school days have been exceeded? If so, couldn’t we have 2 less early releases Wednesdays? We could even add an extra day of school to the end of the year. There are lots of ways to not have school on the day after Halloween. Having school the day after Halloween can hurt students’ grades, and it can even make them get sick. That is why they should change the schedule in order to make next year even better.

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About the Contributor

Raina Schutz, Reporter

Walking the streets of Japan, Raina Schutz, freshman, admired the new atmosphere and her international adventure over the summer. Schutz was in awe of the scenery and the cultural difference. Being exposed to something extremely new, Schutz found it eye opening to meet new people and learn about their culture.

“Everything was so beautiful, the parks were so fun and there was never a single moment that I was bored with looking around,” Schutz, said.

Through this culturally diverse experience, Schutz has found a new appreciation for the people around her. Through a foreign exchange program in Hood River, Schutz had the opportunity to take a trip to Japan with a group of kids her own age. She was exposed to the city and faced everyday life with a host family, such as observing the emphasis on manners between family members to show respect.

“You couldn’t slouch or lean against walls. They found it extremely disrespectful and a sign of being uninterested. We needed to stand tall and have good posture to show our appreciation,” Schutz said.

Schutz has also found a special appreciation for the people around her through her move from Lake Oswego to West Linn. Between elementary school and middle school, Schutz was given the option to transfer to the West Linn-Wilsonville School District. She has found herself become more comfortable with her new friends and more welcomed by the West Linn community. She feels fortunate to have found close and welcoming friends during her transition and graduation into high school.

“Everyone is so much nicer here in West Linn, the people are so much more welcoming and friendly,” Schutz said.

Her trip to Japan also shows that Schutz is well-rounded. She has many different interests and loves trying out new things.

Between being busy with friends and extracurricular activities such as co-ed soccer, snow boarding and dance; Schutz has made goals for herself to achieve in order to start her high school year off successfully. She plans to achieve a B in every class and looks forward to facing the challenges in Biology. Schutz looks forward to acting and journalism the most.

“Journalism and acting are my favorite because it’s really fun and has a relaxed environment without any tedious homework.” Schutz said.

Schutz plans to participate in video and write in the Opinion section specifically. Over the course of this year, she hopes to become a better writer and looks forward to seeing her writing on the school website.