Evening study hall is written into the genetic code of the typical boarding school in New England. While certain aspects may differ from school to school, the general idea stays the same: get work done.
Williston is no different. From 8:00 to 10:00 each evening with class the next day, students are confined to their room to complete their assignments.
Some students have mixed feelings about this though, as this routine comes with many restrictions.
“Maybe 90% of the time I get all of my work done during study hall” says Sean Croft, a sophomore from Marshfield, Mass. “Some nights, especially on the nights before Wednesday or Saturday, where I have little work, I am finished with all of my work before 9:00pm, leaving me to sit in my room doing nothing for over an hour.”
Other students, like Ezekiel Jackson ’26, a proctor from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, feel study hall isn’t always the most effective approach for everyone
“I think study hall has been less helpful to me, just because I think I’m able to do my work on my own time without needing someone looking over my shoulder,” Jackson explains.
He acknowledges, however, that the structured time may benefit many others.
Jackson also notes the challenges study hall poses to a student’s schedule.
“It forces students to go to bed late, it makes students put off their work until later in the day, and takes up most of the downtime we have.” He suggests offering an optional study hall earlier in the day to provide more flexibility.
David Koritkoski, Dean of Students at Williston, says there used to be an earlier study hall, but changes were made to allow students to enjoy the weather.
“Williston used to have an earlier study hall here but that was 25 plus years ago,” said Koritkoski. “It is possible to have study hall from 7:30 to 9:30, certainly in the fall and the spring, but the fall and spring are also the times where students like to hang out outdoors.”
“If you think about a beautiful May day and you have to start heading back to your dorms at 7:15 rather than 7:45, then I think we might get some pushback on that,” he added. “And then, to be frank, if we move study hall earlier, we would then have to move earlier in your room times.”
Despite the accommodations put in place for student well being, Grace McCullagh, a senior proctor from Cambridge, Mass., finds the rigid study hall schedule does not always work for her.
“I don’t usually get all of my work done during study hall. When I’m done with homework, I work on college work,” she told The Willistonian. Grace also mentions that her ability to focus during study hall depends on the environment. “My focus during study hall depends on who is on duty and if the dorm is quiet. Normally, I focus better when there isn’t a dorm parent constantly checking in.”
Grace also mentions that study hall doesn’t always align with the natural routines of many students.
“It doesn’t fit into a lot of people’s schedules the same way their normal routines would,” she explained. “If there was more flexibility for students’ needs — a system that doesn’t force students to all learn and study the same way — it would be better.”
“If sleep is the primary focus, I think lots of people would be interested in finding ways for students to get more sleep,” she added.
