While I think of my peers as a generally attractive bunch of students, many visitors to campus would disagree—at least, they would if they came around first period. That’s when most students are bed-headed, rubbing sleep from their eyes, and desperately chugging energy drinks to survive through class.

It’s a depressing sight, and not just because it means that (at least for a few hours) the kids in “Gossip Girl” are slightly better-looking than we are. It’s depressing mainly because it’s proof of those statistics that most high school students are constantly fatigued and unable to function fully in school.

I agree that it’s hard not to hit the snooze button a few too many times, especially after staying up well into the night. But there’s a better solution than Red Bulls and Monsters, and it’s amazingly simple.

Eat breakfast.

Students have heard adults extolling the mental and physical health benefits of breakfast for years. But if everyone knows that breakfast makes students more alert, shouldn’t the school encourage its consumption?

Surprisingly, our school does the opposite: Most teachers prohibit students from eating in class. But since it is so hard to get out of bed, there’s usually no time to have a bite to eat before leaving the house, and as a result, students go through most of their classes without the energy to absorb what they’re learning.

In years past, I’ve smuggled my breakfast into school, occasionally hiding chocolate chip pancakes in my pocket to eat when people weren’t looking. (It’s messy but totally worth it.) This year, I decided to be rebellious, regularly eating breakfast in first period and bringing in mugs, bowls and silverware to demonstrate how important I think breakfast is.

My somewhat subtle crusade has had some effect: Once, I inspired my teacher to get oatmeal for lunch because she thought it looked so delicious. But I want to affect people on a larger level. So here’s my challenge to my peers. Instead of bringing energy drinks to school, bring a proper
meal.

Having eaten breakfast for years now, I can attest that on a full stomach, school can actually be interesting. What if more teachers let students eat in first period?

In the real world, you can eat pretty much wherever you want. Or what if the school sold more than just cinnamon rolls during brunch? What if we had some buffet-style fundraisers?

It wouldn’t just make students more alert. Consider any breakfast food, such as oatmeal, muffins, pancakes, cereal, granola or eggs. It turns out that breakfast is also just plain delicious.