The Evening: Work and Play
Dinner begins at 5:30 and provides another opportunity to spend time with friends. The time can also be used to get ahead on homework before study hall. I often try and get back to my residence hall a little early and start working on homework so that I can finish earlier in the night.
Students have to be back in their residence halls by 7 p.m., to begin dorm jobs, clean their rooms and prepare for study hall, which starts at 7:30. Study hall is the sanctioned time slot for everyone to do school work. From 7:30 to 9 is closed study hall where students are expected to work alone quietly and diligently in the dorm. From 9-10, we have open study hall where students are allowed to sign out to go to a classmate’s dorm to study, go to the library, seek help from faculty on duty, work collaboratively with peers within the residence hall, or—on some lucky nights—take a break where we are all allowed to go get a snack at the campus center and hang out with friends.
After study hall ends at 10 p.m., I usually try to get to bed as early as possible knowing I have another busy day ahead of me, but if I have not finished all my homework, upperclassmen lights-out is not until 11 p.m., so I can stay up and study, need be. But usually by 10:30, it is time to go to bed after another busy day at Fountain Valley.
Goodnight!