Each grade has their own lounges. The seniors have the green chairs in the main entrance. Juniors have the blue couches by the west entrance. Sophomores have the benches in front of the NAR and freshmen get the space in front of the Cherney. But freshmen almost never use the space on the third floor. Instead, they usually congregate in the library which offers them more space to spread out.

The seniors are the only grade that has had a full year of school without any major interruptions, causing there to be a giant leap in understanding which lounge is for which grade. Before COVID-19, the senior and junior lounges were exclusively for juniors and seniors and it seems that this sentiment is still shared amongst upperclassmen. When asked if student lounges should be exclusive, Becky Perkins ‘22 exclaimed, “Yes! That’s the entire point.” Ella Deignan ‘22 reaffirms this point when she states, “If I see a sophomore in the senior lounge I am literally going to slap them.” So it is very clear that some of the seniors are defensive about their lounge space. But why?

One reason may be because sitting in the senior or junior lounge is a rite of passage. As Katie Libert ‘23 puts it, “I just think it’s like… stepping up and it’s nice to have something when you are older.” Seniors and juniors have watched previous grades before them occupying the space, while waiting for their chance. So when younger students, who may not fully understand the rights behind the lounges, sit there it feels less impactful than before. 

Another agreed upon sentiment the seniors and juniors have is that the lounges are places to foster community. Deignan shares, “I think student lounges are good because they connect the grade and they offer a sense of homieness to the community.” It can become hard to connect the grade when other grades start to bleed into a reserved space. 

Freshmen and Sophomores still have their own respective lounges and common spaces that they can go to.