Many Exeter Summer students, both Access and Upper School, have claimed to not be getting enough sleep. According to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the average amount of sleep a teenager gets is seven to seven and a half hours of sleep. The average amount of sleep they should get is nine hours.
There are several reasons why students have said they are not getting enough sleep. Andy Chang is from New Jersey, he’s a great student keeping his class grades on check. He is also in acting and active in school sports. For example, is in an acting class and is also in weightlifting. Like most students, he is a busy person and is involved with activities.
When asked why kids might not be getting enough sleep, he replied, “I think it’s because a lot of our day is used up with activities and hanging out with friends, everyone tends to procrastinate until check in to start their homework.”
The courses here at Phillips Exeter are very rigorous and require work outside of class to gain complete mastery of what is happening in class. According to Haden Smith, another student here at the summer program, the morning schedule contributes to the issue.
“We have to wake up early to go get breakfast and be on time to class,” he said. “It’s a bit of a mission when you go to sleep late the night prior.”
Sleep has been an issue around campus, especially for the kids that come from other parts of the world like Germany, Turkey, Venezuela, Greece, etc. Some time zones have drastic differences and can throw some students off their vital sleeping schedule.
Inadequate sleep will result in problems with attention, memory, decision making, reaction time, and creativity, all of which are important in school. Researchers say that sleepiness has a huge impact on academic performance. According to Sleep Foundation, studies show that students who don’t get enough sleep tend to fall asleep in class, which can affect the overall learning ability.
Having this issue at Phillips Exeter is arguably one of the biggest problems you can have. The Harkness method used here is essential in building a student’s skill set. If a student is not at 100 percent then they cannot experience the Harkness method to its fullest potential.
To go along with not having enough sleep, students also damage their social and active lives. If students do not get the recommended sleep they should have, they will be leaning towards falling asleep during the day, preventing them from hanging out with friends and doing fun activities throughout the day.
Their active life will be worsened as well. Studies have shown that people who do not get enough sleep affects their amount of energy. Not fully participating in a sport will harm their health. Sleep is really important for everyone, especially those who want to live an adventurous lifestyle.
Homework is a priority to participating well in class; students should take that into account when they’re out with friends and have not done their homework. Self awareness will allow them to prioritize their activities so they can get a full night’s sleep.