As of 2024, this school will switch its ACE times from midday to the regular start time, changing the optional study period from before lunch to after.

Personally, I love this idea. No I’m not a morning person but regardless I celebrate the opportunity to wake up, knock out my tests and leave. I’m well aware that this progression of slumber to exams is exactly what happened in ACE weeks from past years, but the time of day really matters in this situation. Sleeping in always leaves me feeling more tired despite the fact that I got an extra hour or two of rest and I’m sure a random interruption in students’ regular routine doesn’t do them any good during their exams.. 

A common complaint I’ve heard about ACE week 2.0 is people aren’t able to cram right before their tests anymore. To that I say, if there’s a will there’s a way. I’m confident that the people who operate by last-minute studying will continue to do just that and those of us that don’t get to have a bit more fun.

What’s more is everyone that drives to school had to leave fairly early in the morning anyways because of the crazy ACE traffic that corresponds with the lunch rush of practically every working adult. Two weeks from now, students will simply leave at their normal time and not have to wrestle with any more traffic on a day where the attendance office is a stickler about getting to class on time.

My sophomore year, I remember getting lunch with my friend in the Arts District; we left plenty of time and yet we were already doomed to be late by the time we got our food, even though we hurriedly scarfed it down and then practically ran up Main St. 

Such stories bring me to my next point, the looming anxiety of ACEs. I’m willing to bet every student at this school has a class they’re not confident in testing over which makes ACE week all the more stressful. Sleeping in, relaxing or doing anything remotely fun is hard to enjoy when you know you have a tough test in a few hours and you’re on the clock to get there during a time that you’re not familiar with expected traffic. With the schedule change you simply get up like any other school day and then you’re off the hook come 12:15 p.m.

Go get lunch, go nap, but better yet go do something fun during the time of day where establishments aren’t overrun by annoying middle schoolers. You’re not on the clock and you’ve got options like the mall, a bouncy house, literally anything. 

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Nora Mariano at [email protected].