The whole house is silent, with no one awake to bother you. Your earbuds are in and you’re doing some last-minute homework as the silver moon shines outside your window. Simply put, the vibes are immaculate. 

   The comfort in knowing that the only thing you have left to do is to go to bed and drift off to sleep is unbeatable, and a stark contrast to morning time. 

   In the mornings, you wake up groggy, and are immediately confronted with the dreadful reality that you have a whole entire day to get through, which can involve stressful tests, unwanted social interaction, and the expectation to actually be productive. 

   Now don’t get me wrong, daytime, and maybe even morning time, can be enjoyable. For those who thrive on social interaction and feeling like they have things to accomplish, being a morning person may be more suitable. However, even for the most purposeful and motivated of morning people, nighttime can also be an enjoyable time of day.    

   Contrary to popular belief, nighttime isn’t only good for sleeping and being lazy; you can be purposeful and productive at night too. 

   In fact, for many of us night owls, nighttime is the only time during the day when we feel productive. Personally, after trudging through the hard morning and getting through everything the day has thrown at me, I need to let my brain and body marinate for a few hours, at least until the sky outside is pitch black, to get back to being productive. 

   Not to mention, all the things you can do during the day you can do at night, only a thousand times better. The calmer atmosphere provides mental clarity and uninterrupted time to slow down, relax, and ponder. Whether you’re having a late night study session or want to partake in a social activity or hobby, the nighttime ambience allows all of your daytime responsibilities and woes to melt away, allowing you to better focus on (and fully enjoy) whatever it is that you’re doing. As junior Jeylah Valdes puts it, “I feel like it’s the best time to binge watch shows in peace, because there’s no interruptions.”

   Think about it this way: how often do you hear the phrase “late night conversations”? There’s just something about nighttime that makes you want to fall into deep thought/conversation, without a worry in the world.

      In contrast, during the day, your time is interrupted– no, stolen– by expectations, responsibilities, and people telling you what to do, whether that be your teachers, your parents, or your peers. Nothing can beat the peace and tranquility that comes with nighttime; it serves as an escape for me, and so many others, where I don’t have to worry about dealing with other people and my responsibilities. Junior Natalia Montgomery agrees, saying she’s a night owl too “because [she] often feel[s] it is the only time [she] get[s] to [her]self and to [her] hobbies without worrying about school and other things like that.”              

   I know staying up late isn’t for everyone, but you should try it out at least once in your life and see how you like it; you may be pleasantly surprised. And the next time you wake up to a busy day you’re absolutely dreading getting through, maybe think of why night owls are night owls. We may not run on the same schedule as the rest of the world does, but we certainly enjoy the peace, quiet, and comfort that comes with it.