Not every time of the Oratory Prep school day is created equal. I won’t spoil which ones so early in the article, but the difference between some class periods and others is stark. Some periods elevate whatever class that happens during it, while others leave you more drained even throughout the rest of the day. Sure, the classes shift around thanks to the eight-day schedule, which helps prevent certain times of day from getting too stale, but there is still a massive gulf between the best class period and the worst class period despite that. Of course, this list will vary somewhat for many of you: maybe you’re a morning person and the first period just hits different, or maybe you don’t get hungry very easily so mealtime does not matter as much to you. Still, I must put on my objectivity hat and do the best I can. So, without further adieu–

The Ranking

Side note: I’ll only be ranking academic class periods, so no CWP (it would win too easily) or after-school time. 

5. Period 3A (Before Late Lunch/During Early Lunch)

Ultimately, of all the class times during the Oratory school day, Period 3A is the worst of them all. Too many factors combine to work against it. If you are hungry, you are distracted from class because you know lunch is close, but still so far away. Seeing people walk by on their way to lunch or seeing people cavorting around outside just makes you want to be with them, rather than sitting at a desk. You also only have late lunch to look forward to rather than early lunch, and late lunch is clearly the inferior lunch (colder food, stale pretzels). It is also the worst period to have a test besides maybe first period, as it is the only class period that never has any time right before that you can study.  Finally, 3A is deep enough into the day that some of your energy is bound to have worn out and there is no second wind in sight—but when the period is over, you somehow still have two hours left in the day. 3A is yet another reason why I miss last year’s uniform-time lunches with everyone on the field.

4. Period 3B (After Early Lunch/During Late Lunch)

Period 3B might beat its sibling 3A handily, but it still drags limply compared to the other periods. You might be drowsy and unfocused from eating and playing during lunch, and the shift from freedom back into the class is an unpleasant one. It is also the worst time to have Gym because it’ll leave you nice and sweaty for the last class, but you still have to change because it isn’t last or the first period, and you are guaranteed to have eaten so gym will be more unpleasant. 

Still, to be fair to 3B, it is less that it is awful and more that it just has less going for it than the top 3. Besides, being right after lunch can give you a great energy boost, and usually, you are nice and relaxed after hanging out with your friends or unwinding by yourself during lunch. Lastly, 3B gives you lunch period before as a chance to study for a test or complete homework that is due last period.

3. Period 1

First Period comes in right in the middle of the pack (funnily enough, the opposite of where it is in the day). Sure, the first period is not a great time to take a test, since there is no free time or even class time right before studying. That classic first-period drowsiness also can really drag down your productivity or enjoyment of the class. But, overall, the first period is pretty good. At least for me, there is this feeling of optimism with a whole day ahead of you, a feeling of readiness for the day. The mood in the room, especially immediately after joking around before school, is normally pretty relaxed and joking. And sure, you’re tired, but that’s only due to sleep. The day hasn’t tired you out yet, there usually hasn’t been a chance for anything negative to happen, and you have a whole day ahead of you to make it what you want. This positive spirit propels First Period into a solid 3rd place.

2. Period 4

Period 4 is one of the best, especially if you’re a senior. Really, the only downside is that sometimes, you just have to stare longingly out the window while wishing you were already home or outside; time seems to go slower the closer you watch the clock. The mood, while sometimes apathetic and exhausted, is usually quite positive as you chatter, waiting for freedom to begin once again. It is one of the best times to take a test if you like to cram on the same day, although the period being shorter can hamper that. And lastly, of course, you get those sweet, sweet extra 15 minutes to do whatever you want as a senior.

1. Period 2

Beating out the competition in first place is Period 2! Period 2 is very underrated, and nobody really thinks about it, but hear me out. First of all, it is 100% the best time to take a test or present a project. That early-morning tiredness that plagues the first period has usually worn off. You’ve also had CWP to prepare for whatever you need to do. But, there is much more going on for Period 2 than being a good time of day to earn your best grade. You just had CWP to interact socially or to relax, so you’re usually in a good mood, as are your classmates. You’ve already finished a chunk of your day, but not too much; the rest of the day is still ahead of you to be molded to your desire, but you don’t have the entire day left before you can go home. That feeling of optimism still exists (if you ever had it), but the day doesn’t seem very daunting at all since you’ve already started it. Period 2 really is just a wonderful time of day, and while Period 4 is close, it is more than enough to top off our list!