College and University Blog
Like Day and Night: The Difference between Day Classes and Night Classes
Technically, there is absolutely no difference structurally and content-wise between day (morning) classes and night classes, but if you’d ask anyone who have taken both, they’d tell you that there is definitely a difference between the two, so much so that many students prefer one over the other, and the particular personality of the student is by no means any less of a contributing factor.
This doesn’t seem to be such a big deal, but to some, actually many, it does. This is aside from work schedules and, for those with children, and daycare requirements. Simply put: The atmosphere in morning or afternoon classes is much different than that of night classes. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, though, so the difference is not clearly “good” and “bad”.
Morning classes are typically quiet, slow and low-key. This isn’t a mystery. People generally wake up in the morning, and so they are running slowly and keep to themselves. Because of this, morning classes seem longer, and retention is much more of an effort.
Still, to the morning people, they are wide awake and are roaring to go. These students prefer morning classes because they (1) spark early in the day, and (2) they want to get their classes out of the way so they can study and/or spend time in the library in the afternoon without rush or need for time-check. Then, of course, they go out with their friends to the bar or parties without having to worry about classes interfering with their oh-so important social lives. Of course, taking all morning classes makes it easy to work a job in the evening, so it is a very balanced day.
Night classes, however, are more energetic and, not surprisingly fuller, the reason being that most people hate morning classes and won’t take them unless they have to do so. Because students have had all morning and afternoon to wake up, unwind and spin up, they are lively in the evening. Laughter and chit-chat surges and classes speed on by. THIS is what students prefer because they hate sitting through an endless class period. They grow bored and restless. Many take nighttime classes strictly or solely for this reason; the quicker and livelier a class seems to be, the more engaging it is. On top of that, retention is absorbed as if by several sponges. Students take their time the following mornings as they wake up at their own pace, eat and head off to the library where they might spend all afternoon preparing for class.
Again, this all depends on personal preference and other obligations in one’s life. Mixed day/night class schedules are quite common, too, not due to preference, but to necessity. Classes are, unfortunately, not always available when one desires them, and so secondary is often the final selection for those with busy lives Whichever time of day one prefers to take her/his class, as long as a balance is met, s/he is usually satisfied. That is the bottom line, though, isn’t it?