It finally arrived. That time of year when it gets dark nice and early across the Garden State. And no, that's not a typo in the headline, I meant to say standard time should remain.

Now I know many of you will push back at me. I mean, why in the world would I want it to get darker earlier?

And why in the world would I want it to feel more depressing during the evening when the weather is cold?

Doesn't seem that smart, does it? But hear me out as there is a logical reason why standard time would be good for NJ all year round.

Daylight Saving Time, DST, Summer Time
Getty Images/iStockphoto
loading...

Standard time is just that - Standard

The definition of standard time is that it's... well... standard. We stay in sync with midnight being the actual middle of the night, and high noon being the middle of the day.

We'll also be in sync with most of the world. Changing the clocks is a pain, so why do we still do it?

Morning sun light effect 3 o'clock
Getty Images/iStockphoto
loading...

Brighter in the morning

Think about how dark it is in the mornings from mid-October up until the point we change the clocks. I don't know about you, but it's much harder to start your day when the sun hasn't come up yet.

It's a psychological effect. If it's dark out, we sleep. And since most of us in New Jersey get up anywhere between 6 am and 7 am, having that sunlight in the morning can make all the difference.

Snow on a school bus
Snow on a school bus (The Lakewood Scoop)
loading...

Increased Safety

This one is big. Kids and teenagers at their bus stop in the dark. Why do we allow this to be?

And it's not just kids this affects, it's commuters as well. Commuting in those early hours in the dark can increase the odds of an accident.

Autumn Colours Throughout The UK
Getty Images
loading...

Sunrise would be very delayed under Daylight Saving Time

If daylight saving time remained all year round, just think of how delayed the sunrise would be on the first day of winter? Many people don't think about that, but that's what would happen if we never went to standard time.

Sunrise wouldn't arrive till after 8 am in the dead of winter. I simply can't see New Jersians getting on board with that.

Time change reminder with clock on lawn
Getty Images/iStockphoto
loading...

Those are just a few benefits of standard time as we head toward the winter months. Now yes, it would still get darker earlier in the summer, but is that such a bad thing? The way I see it, it just means more summer fun in the evenings after sunset.

I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority here, but what do you think? What should we do with the clocks here in New Jersey?

And speaking of time, it's that time of year again for Santa to visit the Garden State. But where will Santa be? Check out the list below to find out.

A list of NJ malls where you can get photos with Santa this holiday season

More details and locations will be added as the holiday season progresses, so please check back often for updates. Malls are listed in alphabetical order.

Inventions you probably didn't know are New Jersey born

The 10 most searched pets in the US

The website allaboutcats.com took a look at internet search trends to see what the most in-demand pets are in the US. The results may surprise you.

 

More From 94.3 The Point