In the weeks before Spring Break, the student body was surprised to hear that a new trial schedule would be tested in the weeks following the break.  This schedule was interesting in that it would have one to two classes per day go for an extended period of time: 70 minutes as opposed to 45.  As the trial is now coming to a close, I interviewed several members of the student body and spoke to several teachers about what they thought of the schedule.
            The general response that I received when I asked the question, “What do you think of the new schedule?” was some form of, “I don’t like it.”  Junior Johnny Murphy said, “It’s understandable in some classes, like science, but in most of the others, it just doesn’t work.  I can’t pay attention to a lecture or takes notes for seventy minutes. That’s just too long.”  Junior Kaissling Akers said that the new schedule was confusing and overall didn’t really benefit her.  Freshmen Ben Briton agreed by saying that he disliked the new schedule, and the extended classes were tedious.  There are, however, some students who don’t mind the new schedule.  I have talked to several students who don’t particularly like the schedule but don’t dislike it either.  “Really,” sophomore Walter Burn said. “It doesn’t matter much.  Whatever they do with the schedule is what they’re going to do.”
            Among the teachers, there is no true consensus about the new schedule.  The science department, of course, is very happy about the schedule change because it allows for the necessary time to complete lab assignments.  Other teachers, however, just do not need all of the extra time, and much of it ends up being unused.
            Personally, I find the new schedule unnecessary and a nuisance.  The starting and ending times of each class change daily, and to keep up with the time changes is annoying.  I also find that several of the classes are just purposelessly long with much of the time wasted doing little or nothing.  I also occasionally find myself dreading certain classes throughout the day because I know I will not be able to pay attention for the whole seventy minutes because of this lack of activity or simply because there is only so much material that I can learn and comprehend at one time.  Overall, I personally feel that the new schedule is unnecessary, and according to the results of my interviews, the students agree.