21 Medium Hairstyles for School That Take Under Five Minutes

School mornings do not leave room for anything complicated. You have about four minutes between finding your other shoe and getting out the door, and whatever you do to your hair has to survive PE, a backpack strap, and six hours of leaning over a desk. Shoulder length is actually the best length for this. There is enough to braid, twist, and tie, without so much that everything takes ten minutes to gather. Most of what follows takes three minutes or less once you have done it a couple of times.

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Low Ponytail With a Deep Side Part

A plain low ponytail, with the part moved well over to one side before you tie it.

That one change is the whole thing. The side part adds shape near the crown, so it stops looking like you just grabbed everything.

Great for a fast morning where you still want it to look considered. Under a minute, and it sits comfortably against a chair back all day.

High Ponytail

Everything gathered at the crown and tied tight.

High placement keeps hair completely off your neck, which matters during PE and in a warm classroom.

Perfect for active days. Tug gently on the sections above the elastic once it is tied, which lifts the crown and stops it pulling flat against your head.

Braided Ponytail

A ponytail tied first, then the tail braided down and secured at the bottom.

Braiding the tail keeps it from tangling or whipping around during sports, which a loose ponytail always does.

Suits anyone with a busy timetable. It takes about two minutes total and holds through almost anything, including a full afternoon of running around.

Bubble Ponytail

A high ponytail with small elastics placed every few inches down the length, and the hair between them puffed out.

The bubbles look far more complicated than they are. Four elastics and a bit of pulling is the entire method.

Great for days when you want something noticeable. Medium length usually fits three or four bubbles, and clear elastics keep the focus on the shape.

Rope Twist Ponytail

A low ponytail split into two sections, each twisted in the same direction, then wrapped around each other the opposite way.

Twisting both halves the same way and wrapping them the other is what locks it. Skip that and it unravels.

Perfect for making a plain ponytail look like more effort than it was. Two minutes, and it holds its shape until you take it out.

French Braid Ponytail

The top section French braided from the forehead back to the crown, then everything gathered into a ponytail from there.

You get the neatness of a braid at the front where hair escapes most, without braiding the whole length.

Works especially well on layered cuts, where shorter pieces fall out of a plain ponytail. Our layered medium hairstyles post explains why those pieces behave that way.

Half-Up Top Knot

The top third of your hair twisted into a small bun at the crown, with the rest left down.

This solves the specific problem of hair falling forward while you are looking down at a notebook.

Suits hair that is not quite long enough for a full bun. Section from just above the ears, twist, and secure with a small elastic. Under a minute.

Half-Up With Clips

The sides pulled back and held with two clips, leaving everything else loose.

Clips grip better than an elastic on shorter or layered hair, and they do not leave a dent.

Great for the fastest possible option. Our easy medium hairstyles post has more along these lines for mornings where you have almost no time at all.

Space Buns

A centre part with two high ponytails, each twisted into a small bun on either side.

The even weight means nothing pulls to one side, which makes them comfortable through a long day.

Perfect for a playful look. Medium length gives you buns that are small and neat rather than bulky, and two pins each keeps them secure.

Ballerina Bun

A high ponytail twisted around its own elastic and pinned into a smooth round bun.

Twisting rather than looping gives you a tighter, neater shape that holds without much pinning.

Works especially well for dance, PE, or any day with a uniform standard to meet. Smooth the surface with a little gel before you gather if flyaways bother you.

Low Bun With Smoothed Sides

Hair gathered at the nape, twisted into a bun, and pinned, with the sides smoothed down.

The low position sits comfortably under a hood or against a chair, unlike a high bun.

Great for a neat finish. A few drops of serum through the sides before you gather keeps everything smooth and stops shorter pieces lifting by lunchtime.

Braided Bun

A single braid coiled around itself at the nape and pinned into place.

Braiding first means the bun holds its shape all day rather than loosening gradually the way a twisted one can.

Suits anyone whose buns usually fall out by third period. Two extra minutes at the start saves you redoing it later.

Single French Braid

One braid worked from the crown down, picking up hair as it travels.

Because it collects hair as it goes, nothing escapes at the front, which is the main advantage over a plain plait.

Perfect for days with sport or wind involved. It also leaves you with waves the next morning if you sleep in it, which saves you a second styling session.

Dutch Braid Pigtails

Two braids running from the hairline to the nape, sitting raised on top of the hair rather than tucked into it.

Every strand gets caught along the way, so these hold longer than almost anything else on this list.

Great for a full active day. Give yourself extra time the first few attempts. Once the technique clicks it takes about five minutes for both sides.

Side Braid

Everything gathered over one shoulder and braided down.

Under two minutes and it keeps your hair completely clear of one side of your face.

Suits anyone who writes with their head tilted, since it keeps hair off the page. On wavy hair it also leaves a nice bend for the following day. Our wavy medium hairstyles post covers making the most of that.

Pull-Through Braid

A row of small ponytails, each one split and the previous section pulled through it, creating a woven look with no actual braiding.

It looks intricate and requires no braiding skill at all, which is the appeal.

Works especially well on medium length, where four or five sections fit comfortably. Clear elastics keep the sections from showing.

Mini Braids Through Loose Hair

Two or three small braids worked into otherwise loose hair, left to hang among the length.

The braids add detail without the commitment of putting your hair up.

Great for days when you want something different but do not want it tied back. Each braid takes about thirty seconds, and small clear elastics keep them from unravelling.

Headband With Hair Down

A fabric or plastic headband pushed back from the hairline, hair left loose behind it.

It handles the front pieces, which are the ones that actually get in your way, without doing anything else.

Perfect for the shortest possible routine. Choose a band with grip inside, since plain plastic ones slide back and need constant adjusting.

Scarf Tie

A folded scarf tied across the hairline or wrapped around a ponytail base.

Cotton absorbs better than synthetic, and a tied knot stays put where a slip-on band creeps upward.

Suits anyone who likes a bit of colour. It also covers a lot on a day when your hair is not cooperating, which happens to everyone.

Heatless Overnight Waves

Damp hair braided or wrapped before bed, taken out in the morning.

The hair sets while it dries slowly overnight, so your morning routine becomes shaking it out and leaving.

Great for anyone with no time at all in the morning. Two loose braids give soft bends. More braids give a tighter crimp. Our messy medium hairstyles post covers finishing them.

Side-Swept Front Curls

Only the front sections curled, then swept across to one side, with the rest left alone.

Curling two small sections takes a fraction of the time of doing your whole head, and the front is all anyone sees.

Perfect for a day you want to look a bit more done. Two minutes with a wand on the front pieces, then a light spray so they hold through the morning.