As soon as the minute hand hits seven and the bell rings, I burst out of the school’s doors without a second thought. There’s a race to leave the building, a scramble to be free. For many, the best part of the day is the end. Leaving the building, heading to the parking lot, and finally making the trip home is a ritual that many cherish after a long day. Yet, as the sun sets, everyone’s social battery charges up. The thrill of nighttime, the release from everyday stress, and the new wave of unexplored possibilities can attract us all. Many find themselves at a crossroads: should I go out, or stay home? Home is a safe space for a lot of people, myself included. It’s easy when there aren’t any expectations or social norms to follow like those when out and about. But there may be more to this decision than it may seem on the surface.
In August 2024, Patrick Sharkey, a professor of sociology and public affairs at Princeton University, published a study examining the increase in the time American adults spent at home. He found that from 2003 to 2022, the daily amount of time Americans spent at home grew by 1 hour and 39 minutes. The COVID-19 pandemic further heightened this trend, with no return to typical levels by 2022. It appears that the pandemic of 2020 has intensified this new sense of homely comfort among Americans. Everyone was tucked away at home for a year, and now it has become the everyday norm.
“For me, I prefer staying at home rather than going out because most of my hobbies can be done at home. It’s more comfortable to be in a space where family surrounds me. I don’t have to talk or entertain anyone when I’m with a group of people,” said a Sophomore at ETHS. “I tend to stick to myself even when I am out and about, so being at home is generally preferred.”
On the surface, there is nothing inherently wrong with staying at home. However, the issue arises from the excessive inactivity associated with being at home. During the COVID-19 pandemic, schools and universities worldwide transitioned to hybrid or virtual-only curricula. According to an assessment conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) seeking to examine student achievement during the COVID-19 pandemic, the average scores for nine-year-old students in 2022 dropped by 5 points in reading and 7 points in math compared to 2020. This marked the largest decline in reading since 1990 and the first decline in mathematics scores. The laxed methods of learning and doing schoolwork at home set back American children severely compared to previous years.
“COVID has definitely made me more of a homebody. I miss the mundane things that I did during the pandemic that I’m not able to do now. I spent a lot of time hanging out with my family all together, but now we don’t as much because of our busy schedules,” said a Junior at ETHS. “I hated online school, however. I wasn’t able to see my friends anymore, and all my teachers would just pile on work without caring about our mental or physical health. When we did hybrid learning in middle school, it was a much better experience because I was able to be in a classroom where I was surrounded by my peers who were working just like me. The environment was easier than while being at home, and I found myself more productive.”
The connection between dropping testing scores, mental health, and increased time spent at home is too great to ignore. While it’s important to take time for yourself, relax, and refresh, there needs to be a limit when it starts affecting your entire life.
