Dear Scheduler God... Don’t Do This to Me

By THEA VAUGHAN ‘27 

At the beginning of each term, everyone has that moment where they think, “Please, don’t let me get a bad schedule.” Sometimes those prayers work. Sometimes they don’t. But what is the worst possible schedule you can get? How egregiously terrible could one’s calender appear? Here’s a compilation, if you’re searching for ideas. And, Scheduler God, if you’re reading this… please, don’t give me a bad schedule next term. 

1. Sports E/F Format. Right after lunch, with classes afterwards. Truly horrific. At least you aren’t a prep with PE at 8am. Or maybe you are. Sorry, preps.

2. Science and math back to back. I had this last term. Don’t recommend. It’s especially terrifying when you have a test in both subjects.

3. Language, english, and history, all in a row. Consider yourself a trooper if you get through all three without falling asleep.

4. Science at the top floor, followed immediately by a class on the top floor of Phillips Hall—especially if you have a teacher that lets you out of class late. You will forever be making the decision to either be late or face the embarrassment of sprinting to class.

5. Arguably worse than the previous: health and then a class on the top floor of Phillips Hall.

6. Having all your classes on both Monday and Tuesday. Say goodbye to your weekends; you’ll be too busy doing homework to do anything else.

7. No sleep-ins. As a prep, this may happen often, but if you’re an upperclassman, having zero sleep-ins is never something you want to see.

8. Having a really boring class for an 8am. You’re already tired, still thinking about that essay you were up late writing… and now you have to sit through fifty minutes of information that will go straight through one ear and out the other.

9. H block. I asked a few people what the worst class to have during H block is and got so many different answers that I’ve concluded every class is terrible during H block. Seriously, who thought it was a good idea to let us out at 6pm?

By CARLY CANSECO ‘27

Breaks after a term ends are supposed to be “relaxing” and a time to “catch up on sleep.” However, as you near the end of the break, the anxiety of your new schedule for the next term keeps you up for several sleepless nights, hinders your ability to enjoy a good meal, and makes you want to never check your computer again. Or your phone because everyone posts their teachers and schedules on their Instagram.  And then the day comes. And you open your computer, log onto Blackbaud, then discover… you have Mr. Harkness, the infamous teacher in the language department who only gives at one “A” per year. And Dr. Exeter, who is known for making students cry after every test because she put things from two terms ago that no one remembers. What will you do? Here are three tips to attempt to change your schedule.

1. Change your sport. 

At Exeter, academics is the most important thing here for about ninety-nine percent of students. Who cares about your sport? Try to switch out of it, and make sure your new option is a different block. *Pro tip - when you go to the Scheduling office, make sure to add some tears. *Warning - you can still get the same teacher again if they teach several blocks.

2. Cry to the Scheduling office.

Although I don’t know anyone personally who has done this, or its effectiveness, maybe it will work. Of course, you should make the tears extremely realistic and add a sad story. *Warning - you might just end up embarrassing yourself.

3. Drop out of Exeter.

This is probably the most extreme option. But you know what the Greek philosopher Hippocrates said, “Desperate times call for desperate measures.” And having Dr. Exeter AND Mr. Harkness sure calls for desperate measures. *Warning - your parents might not be happy with this one…