Daylight Savings Time was adopted in the United States over a hundred years ago, but it’s still something many college students aren’t very enthused about. Anyways, who could be very happy about losing an hour of sleep?
The practice was originally instituted to save energy and make better use of daylight in the warmer months. While the clock change’s effect on energy usage is mostly indiscernible today, moving back an hour on Sunday usually marks the beginning of summer weather and the end of the dreaded seasonal depression for many people.
In fact, multiple senators have introduced bills to make Daylight Savings Time permanent, as research has shown that the extra hour of sunlight has many positive effects. For example, the rate of accidents during rush hour decreases, crime declines and many individuals’ circadian rhythms improve. And once you get past the sleep transition, it’s definitely a nice change to leave the office or Zoom classes in the afternoon and be able to do something outside.
I'm personally excited to drive past Jordan Lake after work and actually being able to see it (and not having to worry about accidentally hitting a deer on the way there), or getting to watch UNC Baseball play a night series in the evening under the stadium lights. With my day no longer ending at 5 p.m., the opportunities of what to do after class or work seem endless.
So in light of losing an hour of sleep, here are some happy songs that I’ve been listening to for celebrating the later sunsets:
