For many student drivers at Oakton, getting to school early to park on Sutton is a norm. To ensure a good spot, students begin arriving as early as 6:30 AM. Although the parking situation is not ideal, especially for the unlucky seniors who missed out on the raffle, students who park on Sutton have some wonderful shared experiences like dodging the ditch on the gravel side and competing with the metro parkers. 

Taylor Hawthorne, junior, gets to Sutton every day at 6:45 AM. Despite her early mornings, she is able to have some relaxing time while she waits for the 8:10 AM bell, and says the most inconvenient part of the parking situation is “getting out [at the end of the day].” In the mornings she watches TV and eats her breakfast. For other Sutton parkers, here are some morning essentials to get a head start on your day while spending time sitting in a parked car. 

Blanket and pillow – Waiting in your car is a great opportunity to catch up on sleep you’ve missed from staying up late and then waking up early, so a blanket and a pillow are a necessity for a comfortable nap. However, make sure to set an alarm so you don’t sleep through first period!

Breakfast – For those of you in a rush to get out of the house, a great way to save time is to eat once you get to school. Fantastic breakfast foods for on-the-go include protein bars, dry cereal, and bananas. 

Homework – Your car is a convenient quiet space great for studying. Waiting for school to start is a great time to finish up small homework assignments and get some additional studying in. 

A good playlist – If you don’t have anything planned, a good playlist is necessary to keep boredom away and set the mood for your day, so put together a collection of your favorite songs to jam out to before you start your day. 

However, you decide to spend your early mornings, make sure it prepares you for your busy day. Whether you need to finish up some work or just relax, sitting parked on Sutton, although it may seem inconvenient, is actually a great way to jumpstart your day, so take advantage of it and get ready to tackle the second semester!