We are a nation obsessed with time management, and this concept will come to life this weekend. As we roll the clocks forward one hour for Daylight Saving Time, which officially takes effect at 2 a.m. on Sunday, that precious hour will disappear forever.

The history of Daylight Saving Time is as follows … founding father Benjamin Franklin first thought of this innovation — the bane of the sleep-deprived student’s existence — but it wasn’t instituted in America until March 31, 1918. It was repealed the next year.

What could we have done with that lost hour, and what are the consequences (and there are many of them) of losing this hour? Let’s take a look at the ripple effects of this time-honored tradition.

Here are 10 extracurricular activities that this soon-to-be-nonexistent hour could have been spent on …

10. That time could have been spent on the road to Syracuse for a relaxing day at Carousel Mall. While it takes much more than a single hour to get to Syracuse and back, any time loss is crucial in an endeavor like this. Losing that one-hour is a hit big enough to quash any hopes for being able to make the trip. Good times for the wallet; sad times for the soul.

9. There is, however, other shopping to be done (or not done, in this case) much closer to Ithaca. No matter how experienced a shopper you may be, no trip to Wegmans is truly complete if it lasts under an hour.

8. For some of us, the written word is necessary for relaxation. Whether it be a classic like Moby Dick, Dan Brown’s latest bestseller or Perez Hilton’s web gossip, pleasure reading can easily fill a spare hour.

7. Then again, we spend hours reading for educational purposes, so it is a welcome change to sit back and hang out with a good friend — the TV (or the computer that serves as a substitute television). Some may think that TV rots the brain and detracts from academic achievement, but it is a fact that just one hour of TV-watching increases a person’s sanity by a factor of at least 15 (the number of shows that I am addicted to at the moment).

6. Baking — whether it be cupcakes, cookies or brownies (browniessss … wink wink) — is a prime stress outlet for many people. Even better, this is an activity which doesn’t take long, while the fruits of your labor provided infinite bliss. Now, deprived of sugar, the erstwhile baker must rely on less wholesome types of uppers than sweets — resorting to caffeine, booze and junk food.

5. According to its latest Physical Activity Guidelines, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults undertake at least two and a half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. But if you were planning on fulfilling that quota around the Daylight Saving Time transition, then think again. Gym time is one of the first things to go when we get strapped for time.

4. This was supposed to be an excellent weekend for basketball — whether you are a spectator, participant or pontificator. You could watch the men’s basketball team close out the season hosting Penn and Princeton at Newman Arena tomorrow and Saturday. You could work on your own game with some pickup basketball, especially now that intramural basketball is in playoff mode here on campus.

The ultimate playoff, however, is just around the corner. An hour is the perfect amount of time to start your preparations for March Madness. If you haven’t started already, start researching your teams now so you’ll be ready to fill out those brackets right after Selection Sunday next weekend.

3. Good hygiene is key, both for your own health and for the wellbeing of others who breathe your air. For this reason, laundry is a necessary activity. It does take some effort, however, to follow through on this mundane task. With an hour soon to be missing from our lives, it is that much harder to wade through the pile of laundry.

2. Two words — Power Hour: In this gloriously self-explanatory drinking tradition, each participant pounds back a shot of beer every minute. This activity is most efficient in terms of productivity per time allotted.

1. Two more words — the two words we miss most of all when circumstances prevent us from ever leaving the library … Power Sleep.*

On second thought, all of these things are absolutely essential to maintain sanity, so just go ahead and “waste” your time on them. You — and the people who have to interact with you — will be much better off in the long run.

* Sorry Prof. Maas, it’s not our fault that we have mucho sleep debt. Blame Ben Franklin — he’s the one who invented Daylight Saving Time in the first place.