Early bird science classes unfairly get a bad reputation. 

When students are picking classes for the new school year, they usually receive warnings from upperclassmen about the suffering early bird classes bring: “The classes are so long,” “There’s no time for sleep,” or “You start so early.”  

Trust me, when my alarm goes off at 6:45 a.m., these concerns feel very valid. It’s a dreadful and stressful process to get ready, eat breakfast, and get out the door by 7:30 a.m.

Thankfully, the rewards of early bird science easily outweigh the cons: I start seeing benefits as soon as I walk out the door. 

Leaving at 7:30 a.m., there’s hardly any traffic surrounding the school and the senior parking lot is nearly empty: I can zoom into school without any worries about being tardy. Moreover, as someone who prefers to have a buffer when I park–I’m not trying to cause an accident–I can’t even begin to explain how much the open parking spaces next to my spot relieve me. 

Once I walk into class–30 minutes before first period begins for everyone else–the extra time pays off incredibly well. Starting early in the morning, we as students only have between 50-68% of their optimal functionality, meaning that we’re not fully awake yet. Fortunately, in both early bird science classes I’ve taken, my teachers have used these first 30 minutes to review homework and go over any questions. This provides the perfect opportunity to ease into the day by remembering what you practiced last night, or you can just focus on waking up if you understand everything. 

Our extra time also allows us to do more fun activities, such as labs or games, rather than just strict note taking. And while all AP science classes have this extra time, I’d say starting the school day with these activities allows your day to begin on a positive note. 

One of my favorite labs in physics earlier this year was when my class learned about projectile motion by shooting water balloons at our teacher on the front lawn. Despite our teacher’s taunts that we wouldn’t hit her–and we didn’t–our class had a ton of fun bonding while attempting our goal. Beginning our day by going outside and learning by hands-on experience wasn’t something we could necessarily have done without the extra time allotted in our schedule. 

If you thought launching water balloons at our teacher was as wild as physics could get before 8 a.m., just you wait. That same early-morning energy has led to even more unforgettable lessons. 

It’s a common saying that people will do something “when pigs fly.” Well, if you were waiting to take an early bird class until pigs could fly, now is your chance! Another fun lab our class did to start the morning was using flying pig machines to learn about uniform circular motion.

Last year in AP Chem, our class also played a puzzle game to solve for the identity of chemical compounds by combining them and observing their reactions. I’d never thought I’d be so excited to see a solid form out of thin air, but that joy stayed with me for the whole day. 

Sure, these labs can require a lot of work, but they definitely start the day off strong by allowing students to participate in hands-on, fun activities that bond them close together. 

Since less students tend to opt into taking early bird classes, that usually results in a smaller class size. Compared to the AP Physics 1 class of 26 students that takes place during normal school hours, my early bird class has just 13 students. Along with smaller classes being proven to result in more productive learning, a special classroom bond is created when you see the same few faces in class every day. You become especially close with others after making spit darts of different lengths together for a lab or huddling close to see each other’s work when the light bulbs in your classroom don’t turn on for a whole week. That last moment was especially fun since I didn’t have glasses yet.

Despite all the fun that occurs, there is obviously the undeniable stress that comes with taking an AP class. The benefit to early bird is that–no matter how nervous you are for a test–you can confidently say you won’t have to worry about it past 9 a.m, and, if you bomb it, at least you got it over with! Humans also deal with high-pressure situations best in the morning, so taking an early bird class might be just what you need to conquer pre-test jitters. 

While waking up for early bird classes is awful–I’m not about to support the argument that getting up early is better for you because it does not feel good–the close-knit community and fun labs definitely make the experience worth it. I guess the saying is true: the early bird really does get the worm!