By Sanya Bery ’17, Feature Editor

It is no secret that students at Newark Academy have a different experience than those who attend local public schools in various ways. However, one may argue that location is one of the largest differences. NA is filled with people from various zip codes, ranging from just around the block to a hefty one-and-a-half hour drive from 91 South Orange Avenue. Our question: does address affect friendship, and if so, how?

Johnny Capobianco, a senior, lives around 30-35 minutes from the Academy. He has noted that the distance has caused some trouble socially. “Living far away, and also in the opposite direction from everyone, definitely restricts who I see and hang out with,” Johnny notes. Having a car helps, but the situation is still not ideal. Johnny leaves every morning around 7:10 to avoid the horrible traffic on the highway but is forced to struggle through rush hour when he’s heading home from cross country or track practice.

Compared to Johnny, Olivia Cubbage ’17 lives closer to school, her commute averaging 15 minutes. However, she still finds that her town has influenced her friend group, to an extent. She notes that she has interacted with people she would “definitely not normally be friends with because of convenience of location.” Olivia also reflects that while she has gained friends because of her address, “being far away from some people has weakened friendships” as well. Over the summer or on weekends when she can only see friends for a short amount of time, she turns to those who live in her town, not necessarily because they are her closest buddies, but because it’s the most convenient.

Shannon Peters ’17, who lives only a few minutes away from school, notes that her commute has allowed her to socialize. Shannon leaves home relatively late but always reaches school before Morning Meeting, which also gives her a good amount of time to chat in the junior corridor. She also notes that living nearby helps with outside of school plans. Since she is so close to school, hanging out at central locations, like the Livingston Mall or the diner, is not a problem “because it’s not out of the way. Likewise, my parents don’t often have to worry about picking me up and dropping me off, because I’m on the way home for most people, so I can always grab a ride with one of my friends.” Unlike Johnny, Shannon doesn’t have to worry about time wasted on her journey home. She finds herself sticking around and talking to a lot of her friends at school, which helps with “relieving stress.”

If you live as far or farther than Johnny, maybe your commute feels like this:

But don’t worry! Turn the distance to your advantage – find a friend or buddy who lives near you and carpool.

What do you think, based on your personal experiences? How are your friendships determined by distance? We’d love to hear from you – comment below!