Schools keep students in the dark school hallways for hours and still wonder why high schoolers don’t concentrate on their work consistently. The lack of sunlight students get overwhelms the body and mind – increasing fatigue and depression.

The extra time given at the end of class for students should be spent walking and socializing instead of sitting in classrooms, with their heads buried in phones. By taking a stroll, students can feel comfortable talking with their friends and take a break. 

People tend to get seasonal depression and for teenagers its effects are worse according to webmd.com. An easy fix for this is simply sun exposure, but schools stopped that for students since elementary school. Spending time in front of the sun can help students with anxiety and depression, giving students a mental break according to clevelandclinic.org .     

Getting a breath of fresh air can help one be more active. Sitting or one minute walks from class to class is not enough for maintaining one’s cardiovascular health. Since the majority of students don’t spend a lot of time outside after school. “When me and my friends hangout, we usually just stay inside and talk…none of us feel like going out really,” Sophomore Irene John said. Daily walking outside should be mandatory for students to increase cardiovascular and pulmonary fitness. 

After the pandemic, teens are spending more time on their phones which is linked to poorer mental health and cognitive brain function according to usatoday.com. However, disconnecting from a mobile device and spending time with nature is beneficial for improving sleep and for teens long term health according to a study by MIT. 

Some may say that teenagers going outside for a break gives them the opportunity to do immature things like vaping. Although this may be true, students that are caught taking advantage of their time will be banned from outdoor breaks and required to stay with a teacher inside the school.

Utica schools should have short outdoor breaks. Make petitions and email the superintendent to have these breaks and create change that will positively impact students.