Marymount girls cherish their free period because it enables each student to take a break from the classroom and tackle their to-do list: complete homework, meet with teachers, converse with other students to work on projects.

Let me pose a question that might make every Senior, Junior, and Sophomore shudder: what if you didn’t have a free period?

I can’t speak for everyone, but I know that a free period is vital to my success in school, as it allows me to manage all my activities and ensure my time is well-spent. However, the Freshmen will only experience these joyous 75 minutes for half of this school year. When contemplating this shift in schedule for the Freshmen, it is important to note both the reason for this change as well as its impact on students.

In practice, the idea of this loss in a free period makes sense. Because of the increased amount of art credits needed to graduate, it becomes more difficult for students to complete their required arts coursework. By only having a free period during one semester, Freshmen are able to complete two art credits within their first year at Marymount. Of course, the benefits are considerable: most Freshmen will not have to worry about trying to find an arts credit last minute before graduation.

However, I am sure everyone understands the stress of transitioning from middle school to high school and the difference in workload. Freshman Brooke Pierpoint, a player on our Varsity Tennis team, took Orchestra I and II this year and went without a free period in the first semester. Brooke reflects upon last semester and notes:

“In my opinion as a freshman athlete, a free period would have really been an advantage in the fall, because I could have completed a lot more homework to minimize the stress and workload when I came home [from practice]. Now that I have a free, I truly appreciate the extra time set aside just for homework.”

Brooke, like many other Freshmen, experienced the difficulties that come with adjusting to high school and its heavy workload; however, her stress was amplified due to her intense tennis schedule as well as the hours she had to practice musical pieces for orchestra. In this case, a year-long free period most likely would have benefitted Brooke and made her transition even smoother. That being said, I applaud the Freshmen class for tackling the challenges presented by high school and being able to fulfill each Marymount responsibility with equal aplomb.