During the rigorous academic day, Choate students are given a rewarding time of relaxation in the form of free periods. These blocks give them three to six hours a week to do whatever they please, such as taking casual naps in their dorm rooms, doing homework in St. John Hall, or working out in the gym. Let’s take a look at some of the ways students like to spend their free time to the fullest.
Lanphier Cafe
Cait Ahn ’25 likes to spend two of her free periods during the week doing work. “During those few blocks, I usually try to cram as much homework as I can into them, so I don’t have as much work that night,” she said. Her favorite location to get work done is Lanphier Cafe. She regularly sits on one of the chairs in Lanphier Commons with a bagel or a banana in hand. Ahn also enjoys the presence of other studious Choate students around her, all focusing on their own studies. In her opinion, this atmosphere is what makes Lanphier Cafe a “good study place.”
Gold Key
Ahn added that she uses her one remaining free block for Gold Key, where she tours prospective students around campus. As a Gold Key Ambassador, Ahn believes that being a part of the team is worth trading in a free period. Danny Yoon ’24 agrees: “I’m happy that I get to represent my school now and showcase it to the guest families.”
St. John Hall
Edward Yan ’26 uses many of his free blocks as opportunities to have fun and recharge. “I spend my free periods in the Student Activities Center (SAC), sometimes doing homework and sometimes hanging out with friends,” he said. Yan enjoys the recreational areas, such as “the foosball, the pool table, and the game room.” These hangout areas in St. John Hall are what entice him to spend his free periods relaxing.
Extra Help
However, Yan’s free blocks are not always spent in St. John Hall. When he needs some additional instructions on homework or preparation for an assessment, he “would just talk to a teacher if they have a free block, and then get some extra help.” Yan recounted a particular experience: “I went to Mr. Larson for some physics help, and that helped a lot with the next quizzes and assessments.”
All students at Choate have their own unique ways of spending free blocks – whether it be catching up with friends, grabbing a snack, or getting ahead on schoolwork. No matter what free blocks are used for, they are always valued and highly anticipated.
