Students across the school hold mixed feelings about Wellness Wednesday, saying it no longer serves its original purpose and suggesting that the time could be better used as an additional advisory period. As the discussion grows, people are beginning to wonder whether the program truly benefits student well-being or if it has simply become a weekly routine with little impact.

Wellness Wednesday was first introduced to give students a short break between second and third periods, allowing them to focus on mental health and personal balance. During this period, students stay in their second-period class for about 45 minutes while teachers supervise quiet activities, county lessons, or open time for homework and rest. Although the concept was designed to reduce stress, students say it has lost its effectiveness over time.

Students who feel that the original intent of the program has faded, leaving them unmotivated during this designated time, have spoken out about it. “I think Wellness Wednesday was meant to be something positive, but now it feels like we do nothing. Another advisory could actually allow students to use that time to do something productive or just take a real break.” Senior Shayan Ahmadi said.

For Jun Kim, a 10th grader, the situation feels a bit different. “I don’t mind Wellness Wednesday that much,” he said. “It’s not stressful, but if it worked more like advisory, it might make more sense because wellness activities seem to be decided by teachers.”

This dependency on the individual teacher’s approach adds an element of inconsistency to Wellness Wednesday, making the experience vary greatly from one classroom to another.

Advisory periods have become a popular benchmark for students due to the flexibility they offer. During advisory, students are allowed to move freely within the building, meet teachers for help, or relax with friends as long as they stay on school grounds. Students said that this freedom makes advisory feel more useful and engaging than Wellness Wednesday. The freedom to choose how to spend one’s time appears to foster a sense of empowerment among students, which they find lacking in the current Wellness Wednesday format.

Ryan Menhaji, an 11th grader, said that Wellness Wednesday could be improved. “It’s not a bad idea, but it doesn’t really help me,” he said. “Most of us just sit quietly until the bell rings or play games on our Chromebooks and phones.”

This call for change has been echoed by students, underscoring a collective desire for a more engaging and beneficial use of time during the school day.

As these conversations continue, students are questioning whether Wellness Wednesday still accomplishes what it was designed to do. While some appreciate the short break, others argue that its current format doesn’t reflect how high schoolers handle stress or manage their schedules. As the school considers these perspectives, it holds the potential for meaningful improvements in student life.