As a member of the Lakeside Girls Swim team, the 6 a.m. practices often led to me being at school much earlier than I would ever need to be. And with more than an hour before classes started, there was certainly time to fill. Throughout the season, I took note of which buildings open when, and what each area offers. Maybe your bus gets to school early. Maybe your mom drops you off at school on the same drive as your brother, even though your brother’s school starts a whole hour earlier than yours. No matter what, this guide will tell you all that you need to know about early-morning Lakeside.

Getting ready

If you do a sport that has practice in the morning, or you were just in a rush to get to school, it’s important to have a place where you can get ready — whatever that means for you. Some people need a private place to rage while trying to braid their hair, and some people are looking for a more lively atmosphere. Everyone’s different, but here are my top choices:

Bliss Hall bathrooms

The Bliss bathrooms have all that you need: A big mirror, good lighting, and cleanliness. Personally, I like the third-floor girls’ bathroom the most. Since it takes a little more work to get there, it’s more private and special. And it truly is private, because I don’t think I’ve encountered more than three people there in total during the entire swim season. I’m a little hesitant to put this one out there because this has been my spot for the past two years at Lakeside. But you guys deserve to have all the same knowledge that I do — just don’t go there between 7:20 and 7:40 a.m. in the fall.

AAC locker room

Bliss Hall and the AAC are the first buildings to open on campus, so you’ll never have to wait awkwardly for a teacher to show up if you’re there extra early. Compared to Bliss, the AAC locker rooms provide a little different environment. Usually, there are people there who are also getting ready, chatting, and playing music. And it’s a convenient spot: after getting ready, you can leave your sports bags in the locker room and collect them at the end of the day. So if you want to talk or you need to borrow some hair gel, head to the AAC — someone’s got you covered.

Drama office

The Drama office, more commonly known as the Droffice, has all of the essentials. Professional dressing room lighting, a table to put your belongings on, and a really big mirror. In fact, the mirror in the Droffice stretches across the entire room, and it has lights going the whole way. If you’re done getting ready, the Droffice also has a lovely napping space for anyone who needs it. Unfortunately, the office doesn’t open up until around 8 a.m., when Alban unlocks it. The Droffice is also more of a lively environment, but it’s a little different than the AAC. Instead of having people around you getting ready, they are in the room next to you playing NYT Connections. Be nice to Alban, respect the space, and come to the Droffice for a good time.

Moore bathroom

Like the Bliss bathrooms, the Moore Hall bathrooms are private and peaceful, with a few stalls in each bathroom. The Moore building opens up later, around the time that most buildings open, and it has a distinct scent. Still, it’s a good spot if you want to quickly get ready before heading to class.

Studying and doing homework

There’s no better time than before school to lock in and do your work. You’re fully refreshed, and you might have a quiz during first-period chemistry. Whether you’re trying to get ahead on homework or desperately cramming for a test, it’s crucial that you have a space that works for you.

Here are my personal favorites:

Science core

The Allen-Gates building opens around 7:30 a.m., since many of the math and science teachers get to school early. In the science core, there is a comfortable couch-and-table section for students to do work, and there are power outlets all across the wall in case you need to charge your computer. Especially if you are working on science-related schoolwork, the science core is a great place to study and ask questions to the various teachers around you. It’s also pretty quiet and empty until around 8:10 a.m. when it fills up with seniors.

Library

Though the library says that it opens at 7:45 a.m., this varies from day to day, usually opening around 7:50 to 8:00 a.m. Still, the building is one of the most versatile and commonly used study spaces for Lakeside students. There’s something for everyone: the silent reading room to truly do your work, the second floor to kind-of be doing your work, and the collaboration space to not be doing your work at all. Just kidding — despite occasional distractions, the collaboration space is my go-to when I need to find someone to answer my questions. Also, all of the librarians are lovely and very welcoming!

Bliss classrooms

Not only is the Bliss building fully unlocked, so are all of its classrooms — with no teachers in sight. This gives a great opportunity for you to use the space and do schoolwork in the best place possible: a classroom, perhaps where the work was first assigned. If you grab a few of your other early-atschool friends, taking up a full classroom is a special way to feel like you are breaking the rules (don’t worry, you aren’t).

AAC upstairs area

The AAC before school is ten times better than it is during school. It has the same comfortable sofa chairs and many tables, but it’s completely empty, other than the few kids that have team meetings. My only complaint is that there aren’t enough functional power outlets. If you have first-period P.E., head to the AAC, lay down on a sofa, and study while watching someone practice basketball.