Each morning, Heschel students face an age-old dilemma: When is the ideal time to arrive at school? This choice is imperative, as it sets the tone for the entire day, impacting stress levels, motivation, and happiness.
According to a school survey, the most popular time to arrive at school is 7:50 a.m., providing the opportunity to socialize, relax, and make your way to tefillah by 8:00 a.m.
“7:50 a.m. is the best time to get to school because you can linger in the lounge and debrief with your friends before going to tefillah,” senior Tanys Mayman said. “You also have time to get made good bars from the dining hall, which is another added bonus.”
“I always get to school at 7:50 a.m.,” senior Anabelle Gononsky said. “It is the perfect time because you can get a little giggle in with your friends, and don’t have to stress about being at tefillah by 8!”
Many students also said that 7:52 am is the best time to arrive at school, allowing for punctuality without too long to spare.
“I always try to come at 7:52 am because that gives me enough time to wait for and get in the elevator, while simultaneously allowing me not to wait in school for too long,” senior Charlotte Levine said.
“If my train comes on time, which does not always occur, I like to get to school at 7:52 to catch up with friends, and still not have to wake up too early,” senior Elana Farbiaz said.
A small group of students argued that getting to school 15-20 minutes early was ideal in order to truly start off the morning on a relaxed note.
“7:40 am is perfect. You have the time to go to Common Address to buy coffee, then chat with your friends and drink it before you have to put it on a shelf in egal and painfully watch the ice melt,” senior Eden Bar-Chama said,
Some students make a riskier choice in order to prioritize their sleep. “ I get to school when school starts. Not a minute earlier or a minute later,” senior Eli Goldman said.
However, he warned that if others did not have the ability to get to places exactly when they intended, they should probably “shoot for 7:53/7:54 to give themselves some flexibility.”
Ultimately, the best time to arrive at school depends on personal preferences and priorities, whether that be maximizing sleep or minimizing stress. As long as you arrive at school on time, you cannot go wrong!