Luke Allaman

A look at how dark it is at 5 p.m. on Nov 12, 2023

As people around the United States set their clocks back for the annual tradition of daylight savings, they are once again thrown into a seemingly endless darkness. 

Since 1918, the US has switched its clocks back twice every year. While there is some dispute as to why exactly this is common practice, the main reason is because it was supposed to help conserve energy with longer sunlight hours. Yet studies have proven there isn’t  much of an impact.

In fact, some states within the U.S. such as Hawaii and Arizona choose not to participate in these events every year.

The sudden hour gain or loss can have negative health effects. Humans are creatures of habit, so when all of the sudden there is a change in schedule everything can be thrown off. It will take time to readjust one’s sleep schedule, which can lead to increased stress and higher blood pressure if it takes too much time to adapt.

Senior Ambria Fowler’s body feels drained by the end of the day due to daylight savings. “It’s nice when I go to lift in the morning and it’s light outside. However, I am not a fan of how worn out I feel at the end of the day when the sun goes down,” she said.

Some argue daylight savings allows it to be brighter in the morning for kids getting to school and makes it easier to wake up. While this is important, kids end up losing out on time after school to hang out with friends in the safety of the light. They are forced to compromise with only spending time outside on the weekends. As for waking up, not everyone gets up for work at the same time, and there’s nothing an alarm clock and coffee can’t fix. 

Senior Maddy Huber finds herself questioning the point of daylight savings as she struggles to find motivation at the end of the day. “I’m not a fan of daylight savings, it getting dark early makes it feel very depressing. When I try to get something done, I just feel tired,” she explained.

The future is hopeful for change, as a proposal to make year-round time was reintroduced in 2023, but has yet to come to the forefront of political discussions. Americans will just have to wait patiently in the dark before change sheds new light.