Academic Productivity and Well-Being of Students: The Effects of Seasonal Weather Change on South Carolina's High Schoolers

Symptoms aligned with Seasonal Affective Disorder negatively impact the academic productivity and well-being of students. Previous research on college aged students, elementary students, and laborers in the workplace provide evidence that spring time changes and weather contribute to greater feelings of productivity for these groups. Through the use of surveys and case-studies, this body of knowledge led to the application of this study on the impact(s) of seasonal weather change on high school students in South Carolina. A mixed-method relational study was conducted utilizing surveys to collect qualitative and quantitative data on this topic. Aligning with what was previously discovered on different age groups, high school students feel most productive during the spring semester - in terms of their school work - and least productive in the winter months. Additionally, broad seasonal weather changes impact the academic well-being indicated by students more so than daily weather fluctuations. These results beg the question of whether or not the school calendar should be rearranged so as to align better with the most productive season(s) for high school students.