Throughout the past quarter and especially since the departure of the class of 2015 for senior project, the rising senior class has been become increasingly aware of how different next year will be for them as seniors. One of the latest and arguably best of these signs has been a taste of independence: off-campus privileges. As of May 11, juniors who  “are in good academic standing, and have a parent / guardian approval,” according to Dean of Students Max Delgado, have been free to leave campus when not in class.

Some students, such as junior Jane Jackson, have taken advantage of this opportunity’s convenience. “I forgot my softball uniform the day we were turning them in, so I ran home during my free period. [It] worked out nicely, I got back at the end of lunch,” Jackson said.

Other students have used this opportunity for relaxation. “It was Friday, the last period of the day and I knew I needed to take a break before I studied more so I went to cafe latte to catch up with some friends,” junior Blaire Bemel said.

Juniors Navodhya Samarakoon and Maya Smith went out to lunch at Punch Pizza, then stopped at Grand Ole Creamery for ice cream. “It felt like we were skipping school,” Samarakoon said. “It was nice to destress ourselves by eating ice cream and good food that we both enjoy, and just talking to each other,” Samarakoon said.  “Especially now, right before exams, school is a really stressful environment so it was nice to get a break and relax,” Smith said.

However, this independence comes with its faithful counterpart responsibility. While off-campus privileges allow students some flexibility, they come with set-in-stone conditions. “We’re offering these elevated privileges with the expectation that you will use your time wisely, and not disrupt classes in any way. If we have concerns, we can always revoke off-campus privileges,” Delgado wrote in an email to the junior class.