Rain, snow, or shine, every day a herd of students treks towards the high school from Haven’s senior lot.
The “senior lot” refers to the student parking lot off of Brookhaven road where most seniors who drive to school park during the day. This parking lot is described as more preferable than the alternative — parking spots closer to the middle school and next to the orthodontists’ office.
“I love the senior lot, and I’m so grateful I’m not at the ortho,” senior Vincent Dykes said.
On July 28, the class of 2026 received an email regarding parking spots, one that gets sent out each summer to the incoming senior class. The email detailed the parking regulations and included a form for students to fill out information such as license plate, drivers license, and a written reason for wanting a parking spot.
There was not, however, a place for students to express their preference for where they wanted to park.
Senior Amelia Badura notes that the senior lot can be an inconvenient location for students who live on the east side of Providence road due to the morning traffic.
“Obviously, it’s not always going to be perfect,” Badura said. “But even just a little bit of input from students on where they would like to park would be so helpful.”
It’s not only the ten minute wait at stoplights that can make the commute to school longer.
“The walk can sometimes be brutal in the morning when you’re tired, especially when it’s cold or raining,” senior Atticus Bean said.
However, the sense of community that the senior lot provides can make the morning trek a more positive experience.
“I think that the whole vibe out there is pretty cool,” Bean said. “It’s the culture of walking to school with some of your friends and walking out with some of your friends.”
Compared to driving into the lot in the mornings, exiting the parking lot is described by senior Leah Cohen to be “busy and stressful.”
“There’s only really one exit, and everyone’s trying to exit as fast as possible before the buses leave,” Cohen said. “You’ll make enemies trying to leave fast.”
Dykes also notes that fender benders aren’t uncommon at the end of a school day. He proposes an expanded amount of available parking spaces in the senior lot to combat overcrowding.
‘It needs to be bigger, that’s the main thing,” Dykes said. “I’m just grateful to be parked in the back, so I never get hit.”
The congestion at the exit also differs depending on the time after school.
“For me, it’s actually very nice,” Snyder said. “I usually don’t leave until after theater rehearsal or fifth block, so it’s empty by then.”
For second semester seniors, the chaos is worth navigating for the comfort the senior lot provides.
“It’s just very fun,” Cohen said.
