As the seniors pulled out of the student parking lot on their last day of school, licensed juniors raced to get parking passes for the now empty spaces. The seniors are gone, the hallways are cleared, and the buses are less crowded. For the remainder of the school year, juniors who have cars could drive to school after purchasing a $20 parking pass.

Juniors who are privileged with driving to and from school have advantages over those stuck riding the bus every day. “Having a parking pass is way better than riding the bus. I get to wake up later and I don’t have to rush to get on the bus after school,” said junior Austen King. The buses are packed with kids ranging fromsixth to twelfthgrade during the majority of the year. Instead of having to cooperate with younger students and tolerate the lack of air conditioning on a typical bus ride, juniors with parking passes are enjoying the liberty of driving to school. “My bus is really crowded and the bus driver wasn’t the best. I like driving because I can be in control of my own car and I feel safe,” said junior Kyle Martin.

Driving to school gives juniors more time to get ready in the for the school day. “Having an extra thirty minutes to sleep in every morning is awesome. I also have time to pick up my friends and take them to school, as well as drive them home afterward,” said King.

The student parking lot at Northern is filled with an assortment of vehicles. Most are used cars passed down from parents or older siblings, but some students drive newer models. For junior Michaela Linder, driving a new Honda Civic took years of hard work and savings. “I paid for my car by myself with the money I’ve been saving since I was fourteen,” she said. “Driving to school is nice because I get to listen to my own music and have a less stressful morning.”

– Emily Bennett and Kayla Emerson