Have you ever noticed that on Wednesday and Thursday resource periods, there is almost nobody in the commons?

As a freshman, I rarely have homework, most of which I can do very quickly in the mornings before and within an hour after school. I could argue that to most underclassmen, the resource period is a perfect opportunity to leave school early or waste time.

Recently with the end of the school year coming up, I’ve been trying to maintain my grades and so have my friends. On Wednesdays, we try to either get homework done or study for tests and other upcoming assignments.

Unfortunately, the problem facing me and my friends during the block schedule is the struggle to get work done. Most times when we start working on our homework, just the presence of each other creates distractions that stop us from finishing our homework.

Not to mention even on the days when we don’t feel like talking too much, the sheer noise created by students messing off in the commons creates a distraction almost none can avoid.

Sometimes it’s so distracting in the commons that my friends and I study in the Library, but what’s the point of a ‘learning commons’ when you can’t study there? Many other students share this sentiment. According to Freshman Pablo Bravo, “[the learning commons are] horribly ineffective to study and finish homework during my resource period.”

However, some of the freshmen I know have positive views of the resource period. One freshman Anthony Handy explained his viewpoint on the resource period.

“I think it’s helpful because I can do my homework if I wanted, decompress with my friends, or take a nap. The point is, this forced free time lets me straighten out my week, no matter what kind of problem I’m having. That’s why I think it’s useful,” Handy said.

I’ve noticed that many students leave school early on Wednesdays and Thursdays, they walk out the side of the building trying to escape the plight of staying at school. Recently, Principal Lyp announced the revamped version of the rule allowing parent’s permissions for students to leave school. There are now also I.D. checks for upperclassmen who are leaving and security is posted at all exits.

Despite the school’s denouncement of leaving early, leaving during the resource period seems justified to some. However, as students, it’s important to remember the privilege that we have and we should take care to follow the rules the school puts in place