Open Campus.  We, the class of 2011, have been waiting our entire high school career to hear those words and actually have them apply to us.  Most of us have dreamed (ok, so dreamed is a bit of an exaggeration) to have it, and others have acted on it (some getting caught, some not.)  But starting this year, we will be gaining the right of open campus.

Open campus, for those who do not know is defined on Dictionary.com as… well, it is currently not defined on Dictionary.com, and so I’ll give you my own (layman’s terms) explanation.  Open campus is when you can leave the premises of the school for certain times, in our case, lunch.  It is a super privilege that Black River Falls High School has not had until now. 

So, Dear Reader, you are probably wondering where I am going with this.  Open campus is only granted to members of the senior class who are currently on Privilege.*  Seniors not on Privilege will be treated as regular students and not allowed to leave the campus.  It is my opinion (and this is an opinion piece, right? Wait… please don’t answer that) that for at least the first week of Privilege, all seniors be granted the right of open campus.

I can just see the expressions on the faces of the administration and/or parents reading this.  Why on earth would this crazy girl think that letting the full force of the Class of 2011 loose on poor little defenseless Black River Falls be a good idea?!?! Well, Dear Reader, there is, in fact, a method to my madness.  You see, if a… shall we say, less than exemplary… student is given a gift so momentous as being able to leave and get Mickey D’s for lunch for one week, and then is plunged back into the terribleness of school lunch (no offense, workers of the lunch crew, we appreciate your hard work very much, its just that as teenagers, our job is to be annoying and picky) they will really want to get on Privilege next chance they get. That, Dear Reader, is called MOTIVATION.

Ahh!  I get it now!  You say.  See, method, madness, it all fits now doesn’t it?  So, recap! The powers that be give students right of open campus for ONE WEEK. After said week is up, right is revoked for those not on Privilege.  Those less than worthy will strive to become worthy before the next Privilege opportunity passes (MOTIVATION at work).  Then, our ending result is a graduating class of happy, high graded students who were responsible and afforded responsibilities.  Now. Just think, this will all be because of open campus.

* Privilege, for you freshmen, or just ignorant students who haven’t been paying attention for the years you were previously in high school, is the ability to go to places other than your focus-teacher-of-the-day during the focus block at the end of the day. I.E.: the computer lab/LMC, the “Falls Café” or the Gym.