Whether seniors use their opens to get food that can’t be found in the school’s cafeteria or to simply hang out with friends, opens can serve as a break from the stress of school.

Many consider it a right of passage to go out during your open periods, since only the senior class is allowed this right. One senior, Anna Miller, says having her opens has allowed her to have a sense of maturity.

“[Having opens] gives me a sense of responsibility and freedom. It also helps a lot with time management,” Miller said. “I feel like after having three years of having to stay in the school, giving seniors this freedom is giving us the best last year we could ask for.”

Alyson Wisnionski, senior, says having the freedom of opens has been very convenient for her. Especially since she has double opens that allow her to stay out for a longer amount of time.

“For me, my double is right in the middle of the school day, its 5th and 6th period. I love it, because its a break in my day where I don’t have to be at school. Also it may be a time where I can just go home and relax before I come back to class,” Wisniowski said. “[This break] makes school almost feel like two separate days. I can also use it as a time to do homework, or do things that I need to catch up on.”

Having friends who share the same opens as you means the break can be used to simply hang out for a period, according to Wisniowski.

“First semester all of our friends had 5th period open, so every friday we tried to go out to a different restaurant. Sometimes it would be Costco, Starbucks, Marianos, or Jewel. But every Friday we did try to go to a different place,” Wisniowski said. “Second semester, we don’t all have the same open, so what’s the most common now is Costco or Starbucks, since they’re both so close and Costco is the cheapest.”

Anna Miller, senior, says that being able to go out on opens has allowed her to make memories with friends. According to Miller, her and her friends often go to their favorite restaurants or stores such like TJMax or Target, but sometimes they decide to do something new.

“I never go out alone, I always go out with friends. I remember one time last semester during our open first period my friend and I were feeling adventurous and she wanted her ears pierced,” Miller said. “So we went to Walmart and bought safety pins. So at 8 a.m. I literally pierced her ears in a parking lot.”

Whether it be making friends with memories or doing homework, the most important part of opens is getting a break since most of the day is spent sitting around, according to Jessi Kroczak, senior

“I have a morning open and a lunch open. Usually in the morning I go to Starbucks or Dunkin to get coffee and at lunch I go home or go out with friends. Sometimes it’s different every day depending on what I’m feeling,” Kroczak said. “After 3 years of sitting in school and learning period after period it’s nice to get that break.”

Although the opens appear to be nothing but positive, Kroczak notes the downside they can sometimes have.

“The only downside I see to leaving on your opens is fighting to get an upper lot spot when you get back. Since they closed the senior doors, walking up and down the sidewalk in the freezing temperatures sucks,” Kroszak said. “It’s either sacrificing 20 minutes off your open to get a top spot or getting back to class late with frostbite.”