Ever since the fire alarm that left us standing outside in the freezing February rain during G block, whether students should have to stay at school for this period has become a highly debated topic. 

To some, this 45-minute period at the end of the day is a waste of time that they could be spending traveling home. To others, this time is a nice break at the end of the day that leaves time for socialization, clubs, and school events.

Pro: Avani Shah ‘25

While G block may seem like an empty period of time, it is, in reality, a remarkably efficient period for the student body to both work and gather together. 

At school, we have many engaging club options available. Without G block, we would have to stay after official school hours to participate, making for unpredictable student schedules and causing problems for other extracurriculars. Having G block as a mandatory period also may encourage students to join clubs they wouldn’t otherwise have time for.

There are also many locations in the school where homework or collaborative projects can be done during G block, including the North Room of the library, empty classrooms, and the lounges. If you are understandably tired after a long day of learning, G block allows you to take a deep breath at the end of the day. You can spend time with friends or ask teachers any lingering questions. 

With only ten minutes between classes, it is hard to find time to talk to teachers about the homework or lesson. Many of our lives are extremely busy, and G block allows you to relax before heading off to your next practice, lesson, or game, which is arguably better for our mental health. 

Everyone needs a little break at the end of the day to prevent burnout from our packed schedules. This space at the end of the day is the opportune time to participate in clubs, learn about your week at school, do work, and catch up with friends after a busy day of learning.

Con: Kylie Liggett ‘25

Staying at school during G-block is unnecessary and makes some students’ lives more difficult.

For some students, having to stay during G Block makes transportation home more challenging. Audrey Taylor ‘25 said, “For kids who take the train–there’s one at 3:18 and one at 3:53–we just sit here doing nothing and the train is more packed. There’s also more chance of COVID transmission.” 

These extra forty-five minutes make it much longer for students who live in the city to get home. There are few trains that go to Philadelphia, and one of them is in the middle of G block. Given that the latter train is considerably more crowded, it puts students at a higher risk of contracting COVID. 

Beyond these logistical issues, some students find G block to be boring and pointless if there is nothing scheduled during that time. 

Gurnoor Othie ‘25 explained, “I think G block shouldn’t be required unless we have clubs or extracurriculars to attend, because it’s mostly just a resource. If we were allowed to go home earlier, we would be utilizing our time more efficiently.” 

At the moment, if a student wants to leave during G block, they must use one of their cuts. Seniors now have one daily cut and can theoretically skip G block every day. However, juniors only have three cuts per quarter, sophomores have four cuts per year, and freshmen have two cuts per year. As a result, staying during G block is essentially mandatory for these grades. 

Instead of making G block mandatory, a better solution might be to allow students to sign out during this period without using a cut. This way, students can choose whether or not to stay during G block and the school will know everyone’s whereabouts during that period of time.