During a tiring week of piling school work and tests, students spend a lot of time on campus. With this comes a need for more time to relax, study and be with friends. The new schedule for this school year gives students that opportunity.

Starting in the 2023 to 2024 academic year, almost every Wednesday is an early release day where students get off at 1:55 p.m. This gives students an extra hour and 20 minutes for after school activities. As a semester of this new schedule has passed, students have found several ways to use the extra time. 

A popular option among students is taking the time to socialize. They plan activities after school to spend more time with friends.

“Most [Wednesdays] I go to a cafe with my friends and we play games,” said Adhvay Arvind, junior.

For students who are normally busy with school work and extracurricular activities, having an early release day frees time for events that they wouldn’t be able to fit in their schedule otherwise.

“It’s much harder to find time on normal length days with homework and extracurricular activities taking most of the time after school,” Arvind said.

While some spend their time catching up with friends, others will use the extra hour to unwind. The timing of early release Wednesdays during the week is especially enjoyable for students because it provides a well-needed rest from school.

“Normally on early release days I just use the time to relax,” said Rezaan Malick, sophomore. “I like the extra time because it’s right in the middle of the week and it’s a nice break.”

The extra time also helps students academically as some choose to take advantage of the day by getting ahead with school work and studying.

“I usually go straight to the library to do homework,” said Rachel Zuo, junior.

While students have more time for activities of their choice on early release Wednesdays, teachers continue to work after students are let out.

“During early dismissals, we utilize the time to meet with our level curriculum teams to review assessment data, evaluate the current unit and pacing and/or create new activities or common assessments,” said Kristine Pohlman, Spanish teacher.

For students, an extra 80 minutes of time can be crucial for their day. Whether they spend it hanging out with friends, relaxing, or getting ahead with school work, these early release Wednesdays give students an opportunity to spend their time however they prefer.