One of the biggest differences between being 25 and 50 is the idea of going out and partying past midnight. A 25-year-old can do that a few nights a week, whereas someone in their 50s would need three days to recuperate from one night out. As we age, our bodies change, we appreciate a good night’s sleep a lot more, and a quiet night with a good book feels a lot more appealing than it did two decades earlier. Gen Xers are entering the curl-up-with-a-good-book phase of their lives. Those born between 1965 and 1980 are somewhere between 46 and 61 and have probably had more days than they want to admit when going to bed before nightfall seemed like a great idea. Kim and Penn Holderness, the husband-and-wife duo behind The Holderness Family, frequently go viral for their hilarious parody songs. Now, they’ve done it again with a funny send-up of The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” called “It’s Bright Outside,” about getting the urge to knock out while the sun’s still up. In the video, the couple goes out for a glass of wine, which quickly takes the wind out of their sails, and they head home to curl up in bed. But they have to close the blinds because “it’s still bright outside.” The Holderness Family’s “It’s Bright Outside” @theholdernessfamily We’re already in the bed #genx ♬ original sound – The Holderness Family The video touched a nerve with many Gen Xers in the comments. “Damn, this hits hard tonight, Hubs and I split onion rings, had 2 drinks, and we’re home by 7,” Julie wrote. “Yesterday we went out at 5, ate dinner at a restaurant with our kids at 6, came home at 7, cut cake to celebrate the anniversary, walked the dog, and were in bed by 8,” Eye Snap added. “This was the most excitement we had on a Saturday night in like 5 years.” Why do older people go to sleep earlier? The biggest reasons people go to bed earlier as they age are physical. As we age, our bodies begin producing melatonin, the hormone that signals it’s time to sleep, earlier in the evening. Our bodies also become more sensitive to light, which affects our circadian rhythms, or natural sleep-wake cycles. Finally, as people age, they experience a decrease in energy production, making going to bed much more desirable than it was when they were younger. A couple asleep during the daytime. Photo credit: Canva Lyrics to “It’s Bright Outside” Coming out of the meal, and we are doing just fine We look at our watch, and it is 7:09 We had one glass of wine. We’re running out of gas. It was only a glass. It was only a glass Now we’re falling asleep, and she’s calling a cab because we are Gen X and we still call cabs And we’re back at our house, and the sun is still out Are we staying up late now? There’s zero chance now She puts on sweatpants now Face cream, go Our neighbors are just going out And we’re taking our very specific collection of sleeping medication Jealousy, don’t you wish that you were me Could have gone out late, instead We’re already in the bed Don’t you want to stream TV? Pluribus is calling me We should probably close the blinds Cause it’s still bright outside The post Funny ‘Mr. Brightside’ parody has Gen Xers celebrating the joy of going to bed while it’s still light out appeared first on Upworthy.

Pauline Monk, an 86-year-old grandma from Sissonville, West Virginia, is a Taco Bell stan. And Mawmaw Pauline (as she’s called by her grandkids) recently got the opportunity of a lifetime: to be the first patron of a brand new Taco Bell location in her hometown. “Taco Bell opening in their hometown might not be a big deal to most. But to us, it was an answered prayer that she made it to see that day,” her granddaughter Autumn Collette, tells Upworthy. Autumn Collette shared a behind-the-scenes video of her Mawmaw Pauline being interviewed by local news station WOWK 13 News, where she shared her excitement over being the first customer to step foot in and eat at her favorite restaurant. View this post on Instagram Mawmaw Pauline’s Taco Bell experience Autumn Collette posted a touching video of Mawmaw Pauline soaking up her Taco Bell experience on opening day, adding that she “got to be the first patron inside. First person to sit down. First person to place an order.” She explained how MawMaw Pauline was able to have her Taco Bell dream come true. “My uncle is in the House of Delegates for West Virginia. He rallied hard to get that Taco Bell there,” she shares, adding that he helped his mom attend the opening. “There were a lot of people inside wanting to order and every single person agreed she should be first. It was the sweetest thing. We didn’t even ask for her to be first to order. They just came up to me and asked if she’d want to be first because she deserved that. They also wouldn’t let her pay.” Mawmaw Pauline got her moment in the spotlight. During an interview with WOWK 13 News, she said, “Oh, I’ve wanted one for all the time. It’s one of my favorite restaurants. It got here, and then I found out I had terminal cancer, and I didn’t think I’d live to see it built, but thank the Lord that I am here today to open it up! I’m the Queen of the Taco Bell of Sissonville!” Mawmaw Pauline’s cancer battle She tells Upworthy, “She beat breast cancer over 20 years ago. She was a blue collar worker who also owned her own businesses and worked hard her whole life. Any time someone in the community was down she was there to lift them up. You’ll never meet someone with a negative thing to say about her.” In the video’s overlay, Autumn Collette shared that her Mawmaw is unfortunately battling cancer again. “She was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung and liver cancer in November of 2025. She was given a life expectancy of 2-3 months,” she wrote. “On May 6, 2026: 6 months after her diagnosis…she made it to see the Taco Bell open in her hometown of 70-some years.” View this post on Instagram She adds, “My Mawmaw is just an angel on earth. And I know everybody says that about their mawmaws.. but I am for certain that mine really is. She is the most wholesome woman.” Viewers respond Many people were touched by this win amid Mawmaw Pauline’s cancer battle and the love and joy she exudes for Taco Bell: “She should NEVER have to pay for another Taco Bell meal EVER! Free Taco Bell for Life. This brought tears to my eyes .” “Baja Bless this woman .” “I love her I’m so happy she got to get her nacho bell grande!!” “All hail THE Queen of the Taco Bell. .” “Grandma chose to live más.” “Aww the Taco Belle of the Ball!!!” “Give her everything she wants off that menu!” The post Grandma battling cancer has wish granted by becoming new Taco Bell’s first patron appeared first on Upworthy.

We all know how the grading system works. A is the best score you can get (and the only acceptable score for the perfectionists among us). Then comes B, which is also generally considered positive. By C, you’re in dangerous territory. D is even worse. And F, well, F is the equivalent of wearing a dunce cap. But where’s the E grade? Why do we skip over this letter? Turns out, we didn’t always exclude the letter E from our grading system. And it led to some very confused parents. The missing grade that vanished from report cards The earliest record of a letter-grade system comes from Mount Holyoke College in 1897, which quickly spread to virtually every school in North America. When it first debuted, E was the lowest grade a student could receive, with A still being the highest. Though popular, the system was fairly wonky from the start. As reported by Slate, A represented scores between 95 and 100, while B and C each stood for 10-point ranges. Students could get a D only with a score of “precisely 75.” Anything below that received an E. And then, only a year later, they added F to represent “fail,” and tweaked each letter grade to represent only five points, with scores below 75 resulting in failure. E reflected scores 75 to 79. Why schools dropped the letter E However, as the story goes, many parents who viewed E on their child’s report cards interpreted it as “Excellent,” rather than practically failing. By 1930, most schools became aware of the unintended consequences and did away with the letter grade entirely. Of course, this hasn’t been the only time schools have experimented with different grading metrics. Some played around with varieties of numerical scales (0-4, 0-9, 0-20, 0-100). Others tried just three grade groups (best, worse, and worst), while some used four under the following labels: “first in their respective classes,” “orderly, correct, and attentive,” “have made very little improvement,” and “they have learnt little or nothing.” In fact, the further back you go, you’ll notice that tracking an individual student’s progress and mastery through close, personal observation and detailed, descriptive feedback was the norm rather than categorization. But as schools kept getting an influx of students, a standardized and seemingly more efficient system became the norm. Of course, there have been criticisms of this method since its inception. For decades, educators have shared concerns that it prioritized getting a certain letter grade rather than the intrinsic value of learning. Could grading systems change again? Image of a hand writing “Never Stop Learning” in marker. Canva That debate is still happening today. In recent years, some schools and universities have experimented with alternatives like pass/fail systems, standards-based grading, narrative evaluations, and competency-based assessments that measure whether students have mastered specific skills rather than averaging test scores. Others have adopted portfolios and teacher feedback in place of traditional report cards altogether. Supporters of these approaches argue that they can reduce anxiety and encourage students to focus more on growth, participation, and curiosity. Critics worry they may make it harder to measure achievement consistently or compare students across schools. Either way, the disappearing E grade is proof that the grading system has never been quite as fixed or timeless as many people assume. What feels permanent in one generation of classrooms can easily be rewritten by the next. And, arguably, it should be able to adapt as we do.  The post The forgotten reason teachers don’t use the letter ‘E’ in grading anymore appeared first on Upworthy.

Beagles are one of the most popular dog breeds for people looking for a pet. Most years, they rank among the top 10 breeds in America. It’s easy to see why: the American Kennel Club (AKC) describes beagles as “loyal” companions that are often “happy-go-lucky.” They get along well with kids and other dogs and are generally considered easygoing. Sadly, that gentle temperament has made beagles a common choice for companies that conduct animal testing. Rescued lab beagle gets a second chance and sees the sun for the first time Luckily, there are plenty of people who want to save these beagles from a life spent behind bars in a lab. Meracle Paws is one such organization. They specialize in rescuing senior dogs, which are in especially great need of love and care. It’s far easier to find homes for puppies and younger dogs. Senior rescues are often left behind in shelters and at rescue organizations. But that doesn’t make the rescues any less meaningful. The team behind Meracle Paws recently took to Instagram to share a brief but emotionally overwhelming moment following a large release of dogs bred for research. “We’ve carried 1000 Lab beagles out of that place [Ridglan Farms] into freedom. Today so many of them were seniors… dogs who spent their entire lives in cages breeding puppies for experiments and testing,” the caption read. “This sweet senior mama had never touched grass, breathed fresh air, or felt the sun on her face. Today I held her while she lifted her head to the sky and tasted sunshine with her little tongue for the very first time. I don’t think I’ll ever forget this moment for the rest of my life.” The video is only a few seconds long, but the look on the sweet dog’s face says it all. This tiny moment was years in the making. View this post on Instagram Video goes viral, and commenters are extremely moved Ridglan Farms in Wisconsin is a breeder that specializes in “purpose bred beagles for biomedical research.” For years, rescue groups lodged complaints and allegations of horrific animal cruelty against the facility. Just recently, the long battle finally came to an end. Legal pressure and intense protests ultimately convinced the organization to release many of its dogs. KAAL-TV reports that more than 1,500 beagles were freed in the operation. Ridglan Farms, which has agreed to surrender its license to avoid prosecution, has denied mistreating the dogs. Commenters on Meracle Paws’ post were overjoyed by the news: “Breaks my heart for all these babies but especially when I see the older ones. So much hell for so long … thank you for giving them a chance to enjoy the life they always should have had” “This vid of her smelling the air and face towards the sun is everything” “I’ve lived a very long life and watching this sweet soul discover kindness for the first time brought tears to my eyes” “can’t stop crying, this is so incredibly moving and beautiful..what joy and grace you have brought to this gentle soul!!” The cruel irony of beagles is that their adorable, cuddly, and forgiving demeanor makes them prime targets for abuse. The Beagle Freedom Project quotes one anonymous lab technician: “They won’t fight back. They let us do anything we want to them, that’s why we like beagles.” An uncomfortable reality is that animal research is sometimes considered a necessary evil in scientific progress, particularly in developments that help us better understand human diseases or create medications that could ease people’s suffering. The Ridglan Farms case reached the federal level, with both HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya getting involved. New York Rep. Nick Langworthy, who also advocated for the closure of Ridglan Farms, wrote in a letter: “This issue is not about opposing scientific progress; it is about ensuring that federally funded research reflects both ethical standards and scientific advancement.” View this post on Instagram The sweet senior beagle featured in Meracle Paws’ videos helps put a face to the cause. Watching her, and the others, touch grass and feel sunlight for the first time is heartbreaking, but more importantly, joyful and hopeful. It’s a cause well worth continuing to fight for so that more moments like this one can happen. Many of these beagles from Ridglan Farms are still in need of help or homes. You can learn more about how to help or adopt them here. The post Watch this senior beagle experience sunshine for the first time appeared first on Upworthy.

LeAnn Rimes is still working through her recovery after postponing multiple concerts due to “severe illness.” But she’s in good spirits and plans on getting back to the stage soon. The Grammy-winning singer shared an update on Instagram while celebrating the anniversary of her platinum-certified album, Sittin’ on Top of the World, which turned 28 on May 5th. In the post, she assured fans that she’s focused on healing from Covid-related laryngitis. “Still working my way through voice rest, trying to get myself back to health as quickly as possible,” she shared before adding, “I know this is one of your favorites that I haven’t played in a while. Here’s a little peek into rehearsals as we reworked and reimagined this gem,” Rimes wrote. “Hoping to add it to the setlist when I can get back out on the road .”   In the post, LeAnn shared a video of herself singing Commitment, which is one of her favorite songs on Sittin’ on Top of the World. View this post on Instagram A post shared by leann rimes cibrian (@leannrimes) LeAnn Rimes is on Voice Rest Following ‘Severe’ Laryngitis Her post came just after LeAnn Rimes’ postponed a series of performances in her 30 Years of Blue Tour. Spokane, Washington and Seattle, Washington, were the first shows affected. One day later, she also postponed her stops in Waukegan, IL, and Wilmington, OH. “I am truly heartbroken to have to reschedule,” she wrote in an Instagram story on April 29th. “And I am so very grateful for your kindness and continued support as I recover. I look forward to being back on stage and seeing you very soon. Love, LeAnn.” In another update on May 1st, LeAnn shared that she is suffering from “severe laryngitis” after a Covid diagnosis. “A visit to my doctor for a scope of my vocal cords has confirmed the news,” she admitted. “And I wanted to tell you as soon as I could.” “It breaks my heart, having to reschedule these shows,” LeAnn continued. “This is sadly out of my hands until I get this under control.” This story’s featured image is by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images.