Every morning alarms go off at 6:00 A.M. and students drag themselves out of bed, not yet awake. Their days are full of classes, homework, and extracurricular activities, leaving students with no time to rest and socialize. By the time school ends, students are exhausted, but there’s more work to do. For most Taiwanese students, this is life.

With such a full schedule, students struggle to find time to do anything outside of school. Because of this, school should end earlier to give students more time to socialize, improve family relationships, and maintain friendships.

Students need more time to socialize

One of the worst things about long school days is that they leave students with little to no time to hang out with friends. School starts early and ends late. Then, there’s homework, cram school, and extracurricular activities. When all of that is finished, it’s too late to go out or even have a proper conversation with friends on social media.

Weekends are also filled with schoolwork and no time for fun. Socializing can boost your mood, reduce stress, and improve your quality of life. Socializing is important for mental health, yet students have no time for it.

If the school day ended earlier, students could finish their homework earlier and hang out with friends. This would help them build stronger friendships and reduce their feelings of loneliness.

A lack of sleep makes you less social

Sleep deprivation ruins students’ connections with others. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, teenagers need between eight to ten hours of sleep each night, but almost 70 percent of high school students don’t get enough.

When you are sleep-deprived, it’s hard to notice body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions. This can lead to misunderstandings and awkward interactions.

Lack of sleep also makes people more moody and impatient, which can hurt friendships. I have had a lot of experiences where I got frustrated at my friends just because I was tired and in a mood.

If school ended earlier, students could sleep more and have more energy to enjoy time with their friends.

More time with family

With school ending late and piles of homework to finish, this kind of lifestyle makes it hard for students to form healthy relationships with their families.

Most parents want to spend time with their teenage kids, but busy schedules make it impossible. Many high school students eat dinner alone or skip family time. However, studies have shown that students who eat with their families often do better in school because they have a more structured night routine, better time management skills, and a space to share academic struggles. Something as simple as sitting down for a meal together can make a huge difference in a teenager’s life.

Having dinner with your family doesn’t seem like something big, but small interactions can help strengthen relationships with families and reduce stress.

My experience

Every morning, I wake up at 5:00 A.M., go to school for nine hours, attend after-school extracurricular activities and cram school, get home at 9:30 P.M., and then spend hours doing my homework. When I finish everything, it’s late, and I am too drained to do anything else.

I don’t have time to hang out with friends on weekdays or weekends and I barely talk to my friends from outside of school. When I am constantly exhausted, it makes it hard for me to stay motivated and focused, and by the end of the week, I feel burnt out.

I have to cancel my plans with my friends on the weekend just because I am too tired to hang out, and I have to catch up on much-needed sleep. This is not how we should live our teenage years. If school ended earlier, I could balance school, relationships, and rest.

The solution

If school ended earlier students would have more time to finish their schoolwork, spend time with family and friends, and get the sleep they need. This would help teenagers live a more balanced life.

Finland consistently scores high on the education index and has one of the best education systems in the world. Schools in Finland start from 9 to 9:30 A.M., and school days usually last five hours. Finnish students usually have little to no homework. As such, Finland has ranked as the happiest country overall for seven years straight. And, despite their short school days, Finland has one of the highest levels of reading proficiency in the world.

Finland’s education system shows students don’t need long school days and endless homework to succeed. If Taiwan made similar changes, like shorter school days and smaller homework loads, students would feel less stressed, get more sleep, and could still perform academically.

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Teenagers deserve an education system that not only prioritizes their academic performance but also their mental well-being. The current system leaves students overwhelmed, exhausted, and struggling to keep up with relationships with people. Ending school earlier can create a better balance and make teenagers’ lives less stressful. A well-rested, mentally healthy student is more likely to succeed, not just academically, but also socially and emotionally. It’s time to rethink the education system in Taiwan, starting with letting kids out earlier every day.