From hybrid learning to a hallway rotary, LHS has incorporated many changes to accommodate Covid-19. 

While these implementations may take some getting used to for students and staff members alike, one exciting change is open campus for seniors.

 Being able to leave the school during free periods not only lets seniors have a break from the bizarre school environment, but also lessens the amount of people in the building at one time. Many look forward to when they’re able to rip off their mask, take a snack break and rest before going back to the building.

While this perk allows some to return home, many are left wondering how to spend their precious 47 minutes of freedom. Whether it’s that you live too far to return home or simply don’t want to, you can still enjoy open campus just as much as anybody else. 

Here are some fun and creative ways to spend your free period:

Take a trip to the orchards

One of the highlights of being in Londonderry is the beautiful apple orchards that surround the town. Why not take the short drive down Mammoth to Mack’s ice cream stand and get a treat to stop the hunger that’s been growing in your stomach all day. 

You can also visit the orchard by Moose Hill. With the fall season approaching, this field will soon be full of ripe pumpkins and apples. Whether you choose to stay in your car or take a stroll through the Adams Pond trail, you’ll be able to take a mental break while admiring the decorative scenery.

Grab snacks with friends

If you and your friend have the same period off, seize the opportunity to spend time with them. With SATs, college applications and sports coming up, having a social life is going to become increasingly difficult to maintain. Make sure to remove yourself from the stresses of senior year to hang out with the people you love.

Londonderry hosts many places to catch up and grab a quick bite to eat. Great options that’ll fill your stomach include buying Dunks from Nutfield or brunch from Janie’s. Other locations where you can swiftly get a meal include Wrap City, Red Arrow and The Juice Bar in Derry.

Make your own movie theater

Gone are the quarantine days of binging hours of Netflix while snacking on popcorn in the comfort of your bed. While you no longer can spend the entire day relaxing, you can recapture this cozy feeling for a brief moment. How can you go back to those peaceful times? By making your own little bedroom right in the middle of the parking lot.

Download a movie or TV show off your favorite streaming service, fill the backseat with blankets and pillows, and keep a mountain of snacks close by. You can even cover your windows to create your own cinema. Just be sure not to fall asleep and miss going back to your next class.

Bring outdoor games

Another way to spend time with friends is to keep some yard games in the trunk of your car. Break out the socially-distant games like Kan Jam and Cornhole to turn open campus into a mini-tournament. These games not only bring some lightheartedness to a chaotic school day, but inspire some friendly competition that can become a lasting tradition.

While it may be possible to play these games in the parking lot, I would recommend travelling to an open field in Macks to start your game. It wouldn’t be fun to lose senior privileges because of a frisbee to a teacher’s windshield. 

Get your homework done

While this definitely isn’t the most exciting activity, knocking out your homework during the school day paves the way for a relaxing evening. With hybrid learning comes online and physical assignments, and it can become difficult to balance what to do for each class and to remember when you have to turn assignments in. 

Using your spare time to get work done also keeps you in the school mindset that you’ll have to return to once the period ends, and gives you more time to focus on what you want to do during the nighttime. 

While returning home may still be the most appealing option to spend open campus, there are many other fun activities to engage in before returning to LHS. Whatever it is you choose to do, make the most of it. Enjoy the privilege, but stay safe and don’t do anything irresponsible or stupid. It’s the first year that seniors have this amazing opportunity, so let’s not give any reasoning for it to be removed next year.