How often do you celebrate 2 a.m. twice in one day? In the United States, this happens twice yearly.
Daylight saving happens in the spring and fall. In the fall, clocks move back one hour at the 2 a.m. mark on the first Sunday in November. But in the Spring, clocks move forward one hour at the 2 a.m. mark on the second Sunday in March.
In the Fall, the clocks seemingly “fall back,” which allows everyone to gain an hour of sleep, but in the Spring, the clocks “spring ahead,” causing everyone to lose an hour of sleep.
Other online sources provide information about daylight savings and its effects on people.
According to publichealth.jdu.edu, “Surveys from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) have found that about 63% of Americans would prefer to eliminate DST, and 55% experience tiredness. Researchers say that the change has long-term negative consequences for our bodies and minds.”
Keene State students were asked to share their thoughts and feelings about daylight savings and their experiences with the time change.
Some students forget about daylight savings because it does not happen often or is thought about frequently. Others do not like daylight savings for numerous reasons.
“Since my family is living in Italy the clock goes back a week earlier, so there is a five-hour time change that week because the clock goes back earlier than ours does here,” said sophomore Azzu Marongiou. “When I called my family during that week, they were confused why I was up so early because their clock was already back. So that’s how I knew ours were about to change that week.”
Sophomore Abby Russell said, “I’m a CA in Butler and we were on duty and we did not know until a resident came up to us saying that it was daylight savings and that the clock will fall back.”
Russell continued, “I was wondering if that meant we had to stay an extra hour to the second 2 a.m. because the CA’s had to do that last year. So I had to text the community director to confirm. Originally we got a text saying we were supposed to stay, but we finally got a text saying we do not have to stay and I was so happy.”
One student highlighted his reasons for disliking Daylight savings.
Junior Evan Marchand said, “Here’s my take. I hate daylight savings. I think that it benefits nobody to get dark at 4:30 and I think the darker that it gets, the more depressed people get on average. Because there is less sunlight and less happiness in the atmosphere.”
Ali Barretta can be contacted at
