text: While a work-life balance seems to be the cornerstone of happiness for any American worker, the same does not seem to be true for American students. In a 2016 study published by Psychology Today, it was found that the stress level of students had risen nearly 15% since 2012. This, in tandem with the fact that many high school students work part-time or even full-time jobs on the side is the exact reason why distance learning must be implemented: schedule flexibility. If students are able to shape their educational schedules to meet their unique independent needs, then the mental health of those students would doubtlessly improve. In fact, in a TED talk about a similar brand of tutelage entitled "hack schooling", it was discussed how the alternative method allowed for students to feel more secure about their learning as it was being done on their own terms. This means that if students are allowed the chance to shape their education to suit themselves, they are then able to comprehend the information that they learn rather than simply memorize and regurgitate it. By removing unnecessarily strenuous factors such as the long hours and rigidity of traditional schooling, distance learning provides an avenue by which students of all backgrounds and situations are afforded the opportunity to thrive.