Starting off the 2020 school year, many changes have been made on campus that have affected our day-to-day schedule. Some may argue that we need a flex to break up the monotony of the day and to engage with our peers that we don’t see during the school day. Since we are in the midst of a pandemic and construction, I see no reason we should have this extra time.

The school has been under construction since the end of last year, and this has brought many inconveniences to our schedule as well as the unexpected arrival of Covid-19. Since hallways are one way and there are fewer exits and entrances, which makes it very difficult to get to class, I’m sure it would be impossible to get to your class in the original five minutes. 

There have also been many studies that show several small breaks throughout the day can be much more effective than one large break. They are proven to reduce stress and increase your productivity. An example of this is an excerpt from Forbes magazine, which included content that suggested doing less to accomplish more: “Humans naturally move from full focus and energy to physiological fatigue every 90 minutes.” This is another reason why having several 10 minute passing periods is better than one longer break.

Though it may be more difficult now to meet with teachers and mingle with friends, I think that this extended time between classes is a great addition to our schedule and should remain, even next year if we go back to having flex.