Breakfast is essential to an everyday diet. For most high school students, it is difficult to grab a quick bite to eat when running late to school, especially if one is up late studying for a test or doing homework the night before.

Whether it is a quick muffin or glass of orange juice, anything is healthier than starting the day with an empty stomach.

“Eating breakfast helps boost your metabolism in the morning because after you sleep your metabolism goes down, so it sparks your body’s ability to burn calories efficiently throughout the day, gives you energy and wakes you up,” physical education teacher Jamie Walton said.

Senior Anna Locklear can also vouch for the importance of breakfast.

“If I skipped breakfast I would not have energy for the first three periods of the day,” Locklear said. “Also, it is important because I may be able to do my school work, but just not to the best of my ability.”

Although Locklear admits to skipping two to three breakfasts a month, she still tries to get something in her system each morning so she feels her best.

If a small breakfast each day means better grades, a healthier metabolism and more energy there is nothing to lose, and with finals this week, making sure to snag a bite to eat in the morning could mean improving those test scores and final grades.