When I first came to the Upper School, Flex Time was a relaxing 45-minute period in which one could eat, relax, do homework, among many other things. A break meant to give people freedom before the final wave of classes. It was the school’s way of helping us; A chance to “Flex” our time however we wanted. Lately, however, it feels more like a curse rather than a blessing.
If you walk through the hallways during Flex Time you will see what I am referring to. Most classrooms seem to be booked for something; Football film, clubs, faculty meetings, councils, and extra help sessions seem to jam pack every single room with students and teachers alike. Even open work spaces like the student centre, library, and study rooms in the languages wing all seem to be completely taken up.
It’s not like any of these activities are bad — in fact they help shape the UCC community into what we know it to be and most UCC students thrive when it comes to involvement in clubs, councils, and extracurricular activities that take place during Flex Time. For the year 8s and 9s as soon as period 3 ends you have something to do and somewhere to be. For year 10s, 11s, and 12s, they have to cut their lunch short to either attend football film, clubs, extra help, and or run these specific events.
What’s truly ironic is that Flex Time was implemented to help all students and reduce their stress. However, currently I think it is doing the opposite. The idea was for us to use it however we saw fit; Whether it be rest, study, clubs, etc. But due to there being so many clubs, so many commitments, and so many extracurriculars, the true meaning and purpose of Flex Time has been lost. There is this quiet pressure to always be doing something that can be justified as productive and useful. Even relaxation has become something you might want to schedule.
Maybe it’s time to take a collective pause and rethink how we treat that block. Could we protect one Flex each week as a truly open period? Could clubs and councils coordinate to reduce overlap and or mandatory attendance? Could teachers hold off on scheduling extra help sessions unless students request them?
These are small changes, but they could restore what Flex was always supposed to be: time owned by students, not consumed by schedules. Flex time at its…
So next time you find yourself sprinting during Flex Time, from one meeting to the next, stop for a second and think. Maybe the most productive thing you can do during Flex is nothing at all.
The Blue and White 