H-Block. Hell-Block?
By WILLIAM INOUE ‘27
H-Block. Many people like me would refer to it as “Hell Block,” often starting exceptionally late in the afternoon and ending when the sun no longer shines at us. A general H-Block would start at 4:50 pm. and end at 5:40 p.m.––just in time for dinner. As a prep, I could not have been warned enough about what I should have expected going into H-Block.
To make matters worse, the winter term is when many, consciously or subconsciously, get affected by seasonal affective disorder. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, seasonal affective disorder is a “shorter day and less daylight may trigger a chemical change in the brain leading to symptoms of depression.”
As a prep that currently has HIS208 as H-Block, it is often the one thing I do not look forward to each day. I adore the course and the teacher, but the fact that it operates late into the afternoon suddenly removes all the joy that comes with the course. Some peers I talked to also discussed the lack of energy in the H-Block as many students are exhausted by the time 5:00 p.m. comes. The Harkness often seems lackluster, and it is usually not as rich and fruitful as the classes in the mornings.
To me, H-Block is not the cause of the SAD or any discomfort. I simply find it to be an inconvenience. I am used to working long days and having little to no breaks in between. However, what provoked me to discuss H-Block and SAD was the fact that many of my peers are going through SAD. Ironically, Exeter does not do a very good job of recognizing, guiding, or helping students through SAD but instead relies on the students themselves to identify whether or not they are going through SAD and find help themselves.
I have also talked to many peers, including upperclassmen, who discussed their sudden drop in energy, motivation, and, in general, a worse feeling than fall term. Almost all cited the SAD as the root cause for their feelings. Some even went as far as to cite the H-Block as their cause as they felt forced to participate in a Harkness discussion late in the afternoon.
From discussions with students around me, I confidently conclude that H-Block is something no students look forward to and may be one of the causes of SAD for some.
I understand and recognize that H-Block exists due to some sports being unable to operate in the dark. Eradicating and remapping the schedule to remove the H-Block is too complicated and time-consuming. However, one thing that is possible and should be done is the discussion of SAD in advisories and dorm meetings. The action could range from simply conversing during Wednesday advisory meetings to hosting a dorm-wide meeting. Either way, the most important thing is to validate students going through SAD and being able to support anyone who needs it. It is not a solution to SAD if we do not talk about the existence of it.
With that being said, there are activities and things that dorm faculty and students alike could organize to raise the spirits in this grim time. The activities could be as simple as having a dorm dinner night with catered fast food. In a time like this, I feel that having time to spend with your dorm mates will raise the spirits and, in return, create a better mood among all students.
All in all, the existence of H-Block is inevitable, as abolishing and rescheduling the day without it would be a logistical nightmare. However, we can recognize, validate, and form solutions for SAD. This includes planning and organizing fun events or discussing topics during advisory or dorm meetings.
Winter term as a prep has been challenging to me as H-Block, combined with the fact that pass-fail term is no longer in effect makes the day feel shorter and much more intense. Yet, I still believe from the bottom of my heart that things like seasonal affective disorder and such are curable through fun and social activities.