Fire drills: an opportunity for the students of Legacy to spend a little time talking to friends, catching up on gossip and just getting out of the classroom for a change. Indeed they are a safety precaution, but that does not mean they have to become boring. Students can always think of creative ways to release inner energy to make these drills not so dull. The whole school joins together outside to wait for the ear-piercing alarm to quiet itself. Here’s a list of entertaining things to do during the next fire drill.

1. Shout “Hey!” to friends you haven’t seen in 10 minutes.
No matter how long ago you saw your best friend, it’s always exciting to see them during a fire drill, while nobody sits in class and doing their assignments. No work, no silence — it’s an unexpected social time. Everywhere, friends get in their large groups and express their gratefulness toward the drill saving them from doing classwork.

2. Think of ways to escape
We’ve all had this thought at least once during a fire drill while standing outside in the grassy areas. “Can I just hop in my car right now and drive off?” “What if I hid in one of the trees while everyone goes back inside?” No matter how unrealistic, everyone has at least thought about an escape plan in one point in their high school career. Fortunately, with the security and administration at Legacy, escaping isn’t an option.

3. Facetime
Some people pull out their phones and facetime their friend that happens to be standing all the way on the other side of the school. Students eagerly show each other where they are standing and who they’re with. The technology seems to entertain until it’s time to take the dreaded walk back up to class.

4. Play games
When the school first opened, students in the choir played a short game of “Red Rover” before it was time to go back in. Quick, little games like red rover, eye spy or ninja make fun traditions and memories even when it doesn’t seem like it’s humanly possible during a serious activity concerning fire.

5. Relax
Some people enjoy just sitting in silence under a tree and being away from the classroom for a short period of time. After all, getting some fresh air and staying calm never hurt anyone. Laying in the grass under a nice tree can also be quite relaxing if you don’t feel like talking to anyone. Just don’t fall asleep from all the peacefulness.

6. Complain about walking back up three flights of stairs
The third floor definitely has the unlucky hand on terms of getting to the designated safety area in a quick manner. Nearly 2,000 students try to evacuate the staircases causing them to become so over-crowded that it takes minutes to walk down just one flight of them. Plus, the loud shrieking of the fire alarms and peers does not make the experience any more enjoyable.

7. Contemplate the chances of the school actually burning down
Everyone has thought about what would happen if the school was actually on fire at some time or another. Where would we go to school? How would we get our personal items back? How long would it take to rebuild the whole school? Heaven forbid if the school actually did burn down, all 2,000 kids at Legacy would have to cram into another one of the MISD schools, making things even more stressful.