In previous years, most of the students that would arrive early, either by bus or car, would make their way into the atrium, or they would sit in their classrooms early. They would converse with their friends while they anxiously waited for the 7:55 bell to ring. Now, students who arrive early decide to sit in their cars in their “designated spots” instead of coming into the school like they used to, which has raised many questions about the dynamic of the parking lot.
Mr. Schussler poses the question “why do students these days choose to stay in their cars instead of coming into the building and sitting in the classrooms like past students have?”
The meaning behind this may not be that deep, but it does display a change in the dynamic of the parking lot over the years and the purpose it holds in people’s morning routines. Does the parking lot hold a sense of security for students, or do they just enjoy the few bitter sweet moments they have before entering the school for six hours?
Lauren Gilgan emphasizes “the parking lot is definitely a form of security for both myself and other students.” She includes “if I go into school early, I like to go right to class instead of walking around the building and if I am super early to my class, it is very awkward.” She concludes “sitting in my car before school allows me to listen to podcasts and chill before I become stressed with schoolwork and other factors that may come into play throughout the day, and I am still half asleep when I arrive to the school, so the few minutes in my car before class lets me adjust.”
For others, the parking lot does not hold a sense of security, but it does give them extra time to hang out with the friends who they do not have classes with.
Rebecca Abreu states “if I have time before school, I love sitting in my friend’s car because we listen to music, talk, and eat Dunkin’ together. The extra time before school gives us time to catch up.”
Students use the time before school starts to eat breakfast and chat with friends in their own personal spaces. Most of the students arrive to school early in order to secure their parking spot, and it makes sense for them to sit in their cars. Other students use this time to catch up on homework and study time because it can be hard to focus at night.
“I use the time in the morning to finish the homework I did not finish the night before and to study for upcoming tests and quizzes, which allows me to refresh my memory,” Matt Dunlap said. He adds “I really enjoy the time I have to myself before school starts.”
It will be interesting to see if the trend continues with freshmen and sophomores who are beginning to drive as the year progresses. Will the underclassmen stay in their cars, or will they opt to go into school early?