Being on time for school is the first responsibility most students have when they wake up. Students across the school have found different ways to get to school, such as driving, being dropped off by parents, biking or walking. For Sarah Scott ’20, she prefers driving herself to school.

“I have to get up a little bit earlier,” Scott said. “Getting a spot in the J lot is really hit or miss. I like to get out of school really quickly, so I go to my locker before seventh period to get everything so that I don’t hit the rush.”

Scott now drives herself to school every day and she likes how organized her schedule has become.

“Everything is on my own schedule,” Scott said. “I can leave if I don’t feel well, and I haven’t really noticed any cons. I really like driving myself.”

According to Scott, students should consider driving, and students should also see if they could carpool with other students.

“For me, living in the Woods, not many other students live in that area to drive me to school,” Scott said. “Driving yourself to school does have its benefits because you can have the freedom of leaving if you want to.”

Scott also notes that drivers need to be nice and courteous to other drivers, and watch out for pedestrians. 

“If you’re a new driver, you need to be very careful,” Scott said. “You can try carpooling as well, since the parking lot fills up fast and it’s aggravating.”

According to Scott, carpooling is a good idea for students to reduce their greenhouse gases and carbon emissions. Scott is not the only student thinking of ways to solve their carbon footprint, as Charlie Groustra ’23 has chosen to bike to school regularly.

“I think biking is a lot cheaper than driving since you don’t have to pay for gas,” Groustra said. “It really helps out the environment.”

According to Groustra, he locks his bike on the bike rack after he bikes to school every morning.

“I have to wake up just a little bit early since it’s not as fast as driving,” Groustra said. “But it’s not so bad, and really the construction is the biggest problem but other than that it’s not that bad.”

According to Groustra, he likes biking since it is easy and cost-efficient. Like Scott, Groustra said he can do it on his own and he doesn’t have to rely on anyone.

“I don’t have to depend on other people,” Groustra said. “I don’t have to ask my parents for a ride, or ask someone for a ride. It’s gonna get a little more difficult in the winter, but other than that it was the easiest choice for me.”

Despite biking to school, Groustra said he will be asking his parents or friends to drive him to school in the winter, like fellow student Olivia Frye ‘22, who gets driven to school every day by her parents.

“Driving has its’ ups and downs,” Frye said. “I appreciate that they are able to take time and transport me, yet they are very busy as well and it can cause some miscommunication.”

According to Frye, her parents sometimes get annoyed with her because Frye has a demanding schedule full of extracurricular activities, but Frye notes that her parents are always there for her.

“I would recommend being driven only if it’s available to you and you’re considerate of the driver taking time to help you,” Frye said. “Other than that, I love that my parents can drive me and I’m so grateful for them.”

Frye notes that having other friends with licenses already are helpful too. Like Groustra, Frye hopes to ride her bike to her events in the spring when the weather is nicer.