megankeyser

Many seniors were disappointed about this year’s removal of the exclusively Senior hangout area that resided in the Quad last school year.

“It feels awful. It was all I looked forward to, and not having it makes me feel like an insignificant senior. #NORESPECT” senior Savannah Nichols said.

Many post-test stressed, cookie-eating, hair-braiding seniors flocked to the slounge’s couches during the 2014-2015 school year. This year, the couches have vanished and seniors’ braiding skills are no longer utilized.

“I just wanted comfy chairs. Guess I’ll have to bring my own,” senior Mary Beth Apker said.

While some students express feelings of sadness and betrayal, others seem unfazed by the removal of the slounge.

“It wasn’t much of a privilege anyways,” junior Brigid Elbert said, saying last year’s senior lounge wasn’t anything in comparison to what it was in the past.

“It really wasn’t even a thing; just a couple chairs shoved in a corner,” junior Lucy Fishburn said.

Student Success Coordinator and 1996 alum, Mrs. Jen Christen, remembers her class’s slounge. “It was in a room on the third floor [Room 306],” Christen said. “Every summer, class officers picked a theme and painted it. Girls hung out in there over their study halls. They had a TV and played GameBoy and Nintendo games.”

Principal Mrs. Susie Sullivan, ‘80 still has memories of her slounge. “I vividly remember one of my classmates sitting on the windowsill with her cigarette in hand. All the nuns could see her.” In 1980, the slounge had been used as not only a study room but also a smoke room.

One of Omaha’s other Catholic all-girl schools has a senior lounge complete with lockers, couches, bean bags,  and a stereo system. An entire floor of the building is reserved for students. Girls are able to play foosball, relax in each classroom, or visit the snack shack that is open all day.

While these girls enjoy the luxuries of class lounges, Marian students are requesting things to add if the slounge were resurrected. “[I’d want] our own room with lots of couches and not let any underclassmen in or teachers” junior Claire Kilborn said.

Not only do students request an area to unwind and de-stress, but some want a recreation area where they can be active.

“There should be a pingpong table or Just Dance,” sophomore Kyleigh Gall said.

“It was just not kept up,” Christen said, explaining the reason she believes the senior lounge was taken away.

Sullivan is not opposed to giving the seniors a lounge. “I hope to have one some day, but I don’t know where to put it,” she said.

Students push new location ideas, including what will be the old Bluetique or under the Quad steps. “The corner [was] not doing the senior lounge any justice,” junior Tylin Welch said.

“I  know that the old slounge location will be under construction soon, so we can’t put couches back there,” Sullivan said.

“I think you deserve a place,” Christen said, and many Marian students agree. Students are encouraged to propose ideas to Sullivan.