Teacher Races to School at 10pm in Bonnet and PJs

Picture this: You're sound asleep when panic hits. You forgot something crucial at work, and tomorrow depends on it.

That's exactly what happened to middle school teacher Sarah Ashley Winans. She woke up in the middle of the night and realized she hadn't plugged in the computer charging cart her students needed for their big test the next day.

Most people might have waited until morning and dealt with the consequences. Not Winans.

She threw on her bonnet, stayed in her pajamas, called her administrator, and drove to school at 10:15pm. Security footage shows her unlocking the building, speed walking down the hallway, and ducking into her classroom.

Two seconds later, she emerges flashing a peace sign at the camera. Crisis averted.

Winans shared the hilarious footage on TikTok with the caption "Test anxiety isn't just for kids." The video struck a chord with viewers everywhere, racking up millions of views and thousands of comments from people both amused and moved by her dedication.

In an interview with Today, Winans explained where this anxiety comes from. "I don't really sleep the week of testing, because I want them to be OK, and I want them to feel confident, not to be nervous and worried," she said.

Commenters immediately recognized the Abbott Elementary energy. "Not all heroes wear capes, they're in bonnets plugging in the chromebook cart at 10pm," one person wrote.

Others felt the secondhand stress. "I just know you were stress texting your principal," someone commented, which Winans confirmed was absolutely true.

Why This Inspires

Winans hopes her video humanizes teachers and shows they're not perfect, but they're always trying. "Teachers, you make mistakes, and you forget to do things and, I mean, you just do what you have to do to make sure your kids are successful," she told Today.

The story sparked a broader conversation about everything teachers do beyond teaching. They provide mentorship, emotional support, problem solving, and apparently, late-night recovery missions too.

Luckily, the school only sits five minutes from her house. And judging by her recent TikToks showing classroom redesigns and outfit checks, she's sleeping just fine these days.

Those students have no idea how lucky they are to have someone who literally loses sleep over their success.