Twice a year we turn the clocks, once on March 14, and once November 7. The Standard Time is the true time of day, and that is what most of the world stays as. Our country is currently set to E.S.T.,  which is where it gets dark around 5 p.m., and it is light outside around 6 a.m.  

                        Every year we do this. But why? In the 1900’s when World War I and World War II were occuring, our country needed to conserve our resources. But the idea of it really started in the late 1700’s.  Benjamin Franklin was in favor of this idea, saying it would save “millions of pounds” of candle wax every year if everyone woke up earlier in the morning and went to bed earlier in night. Of course, there are pros and cons to everything, including daylight savings time.  

    “In the fall it’s not so bad because it gives the students more sleep, but in the spring, the routine gets disrupted and the sleep gets cut back. I think waking up at a different hour actually gets worse as you get older because it is important to maintain a solid sleeping schedule. I don’t know why it’s necessary. I don’t really see the benefit. Science would say not to disrupt your sleep schedules because you need sleep. However, I do more things when it gets dark in the evening,” stated Mr. Matthew Brandt, seventh grade science teacher. 

Whenever students and teachers alike wake up in the morning, the day after they changed the clocks, they could wake up an hour earlier because they aren’t used to the time adjustment. 

“I think it helps students because they get an extra hour of sleep on the first day giving them more energy to work throughout the day. Whenever it’s earlier in the morning, it’s lighter, and when students walk to school or  ride on the bus they can see better.  It also gives the teachers an extra hour of sleep because they sometimes stay up to grade papers and other things like that. Judging by how I did get an extra hour of sleep from staying up by doing homework, I think changing the clocks did help,” stated Ashlynn Wagner, seventh grader. 

One thing unfortunate about changing the clocks is that it  messes up students’ and teacher’s sleeping schedules. Whenever students are used to one time they are supposed to get up, they should stick to that time. It’s healthier. Getting up an hour earlier really affects some kids. Of course, some kids love to wake up when it is light out, which is why some countries, such as China and India, stick to Standard Time and don’t change their clocks. Of course, other families that have parents or relatives that work late get the chance to do something or hangout with the family when it gets late because our country changes the clocks. There’s a good and bad side to everything.How about you? What do you think about daylight savings time? Do you think it’s necessary?