Students at The Columbus School once relied on X Block to work on academic responsibilities, meet with teachers, and catch up on homework. With Advisory replacing that period, many feel they have lost one of their few opportunities for independence. The change, meant to show guidance and community, is instead leaving students stressed and questioning if their needs are being met.

As we remember, X Block was a flexible weekly period dedicated to working on any class the students had to work on. The new Advisory requires them to remain in classrooms, follow activities, and use SmartPass to have movement. While administrators hoped the change would increase accountability and organization, many students argue that it has limited autonomy.

“Students typically use X Block to work on things that they didn’t have enough time to work on during class time… it was very valuable because it was a space during school hours in which you could go talk to teachers, and improve your grade,” said Paulina Ospina, a high school student.

The ability to choose how to use the time was seen as crucial. Without it, students say they have been forced to use lunch periods, windows, or even evenings to do work. 

“Typically, students used X Block to recoup exams or talk with teachers, and for them to explain some content that maybe in the class they didn’t get to understand really well… It was much more effective before,” explained Maria del Mar Aaron, 12th-grade student council representative.

Without that system, many students feel like their days have turned into a nonstop race to get everything done. What used to be a break to rest, catch up on work, or ask teachers for help has now become extra time to stress about assignments. This change from having more freedom to a stricter schedule has left many feeling tired and overwhelmed.

“I feel like it has increased my stress levels because now I don’t feel like I have time to recoup… if I fail a test or something, I don’t know when I can make up for it, so that really stresses me out,” Ospina said. 

Paulina’s words reflect a common feeling among students who are struggling to balance their academic responsibilities with limited time to recover. Without the flexibility that X Block once provided, many say they no longer have a chance to slow down or fix their mistakes before moving on to the next challenge. The pressure to always keep up has created a cycle of stress where students feel like one setback can throw off their entire week. 

“This really shows that the school doesn’t make students’ independence a priority… Things that we used to have, we no longer have because the school took them away to make a more organized system, which really doesn’t have any benefits,” Paulina said.

Maria del Mar showed this concern too, suggesting that the loss of X Block reflects a lack of trust. 

“I think they don’t trust us as much as they did before. It shows how some people wasted X Block time and everyone had to pay the price because of those few people,” Aaron explained.

Despite frustrations, students have ideas for compromise. Many believe both systems could exist. 

“The most important part would be to give X Block back. Make advisories for just 10 minutes so everyone gets informed, and then allow students to sign up to go to a teacher to get help or do the recoup they need,” suggested Aaron.

Bringing X Block back could help restore balance to students’ schedules. By keeping advisories short and giving students the freedom to choose where to go, the school could create time for learning and academic recovery. It would not only reduce stress but also encourage responsibility, since students would be managing their own time to focus on what they truly need

The change from X Block to Advisory shows an ongoing debate about how schools balance structure with independence. While the new advisory was intended to build community and accountability, the concerns raised by students show the importance of autonomy in academic success. The conversation reflects questions about how much responsibility schools should give students in managing their own time.

As students continue to adapt to Advisory, many remain convinced that X Block was something more valuable than structure. For now, the question remains whether the school will prioritize community over independence, or find a way to restore both.