Daylight Savings Time (DST) is finally upon us, which means it’s that glorious time of year when we are blessed with an “extra hour” in the day. But whileit may be called Daylight Savings Time, when the sun sets before 5:00 p.m., it seems like we lose more of the day than we gain. Here are some of the underlying consequences of changing our clocks each fall:
1An extra hour of sleep.
That’s right – the best part of DST is the built-in extra hour of sleep on Saturday night. Whether you choose to spend that hour out with friends or in your own bed, take advantage of these extra 60 minutes. It’s prelim season, so who couldn’t use an extra hour?
2Imminent winter.
Despite the warmer-than-usual autumn weather in Ithaca, Daylight Savings Time is often accompanied by colder air, and it’s a reminder that winter is a-coming. Since we are only about six weeks out from the technical start of winter, it is bound to start feeling like it soon enough. And while snow is pretty much always fair game in Ithaca, it’s even more likely to snow once we change the clocks and get closer to legitimate winter. Don’t be surprised if you wake up someday soon to white scenery and frigid temperatures.
3Walking back from classes in the dark.
During the summer, we consider 4:10 the middle of the afternoon. Watch out: if you stay just a few minutes after class to ask your professor a quick question, you may very well be walking home at 4:30 when the sun has mostly set. Especially if you typically stay on campus for club meetings and extracurricular activities, stars will soon begin to replace the sun as an ordinary occurrence during your walk home.
4The increased struggle to get out of bed.
If you experienced trouble convincing yourself to get out of bed when it was dark in your dorm room, you may be woken early by the sunshine. The whole idea of DST is shifting our days to begin an hour earlier, which may disrupt your sleep cycle and make the adjustment even more difficult.
5The end of the semester.
The beginning of November means that Thanksgiving is just around the corner, which also indicates that the semester has flown by. In a few weeks, you will take all your finals, complete all your assignments, and head home for a well-deserved winter recess. Cherish your last few weeks on campus by taking advantage of all the winter-themed opportunities Cornell has to offer.
