I think being a student today can be defined by two words: late nights. Every student stays up late. Whether they are diligently studying, messing around with friends, or managing the stress of being a student athlete.

As a student-athlete, I often find myself coming back from swim practice to a homework monster that has to be slain before the next school day. By the time I stab the monster through the heart and emerge victorious, it is 11 p.m. and everyone else is asleep. It is exhausting, but it is also rewarding when I can get all of my work done and have no missing assignments. 

Having friends in school is essential to being successful. I enjoy hanging out leisurely when we don’t have any homework. On weekends, we mess around late into the night and make many memories. Even when we don’t hang out in person, we stay up late playing video games. One of my favorite memories with my friends is when we were at a park at 1 a.m.. We just had our fantasy football draft and were staying up to make the most of our nine-man sleepover. It's a trade-off of sleep and fun, but it's a trade I’m willing to make. Even when I have homework, friends are important. We help each other with homework or learning.

Being an athlete is just as important as being a student. In the peak of the swim season, I would wake up at 4:40 am for morning practice, go to school for 7 hours, and have another practice from 3 to 6. After showering and changing, I wouldn’t get home until 6:30. I would be at school for 13 hours a day. I would be tired after practice and want to go to sleep, but I have homework. I made the mistake of taking too many AP classes last year with no study halls.

Late nights are something that every student experiences in 2024. It’s inevitable that at some point in our academic lives we will be up late doing something more important than sleep. At what point will you decide to prioritize sleep?