Teens who want to hang out with their friends know that the options in downtown Weston are quite limited. Despite this, WHS students have successfully found enjoyable places to spend their free time, even if it sometimes means traveling out of town.
Going out to get food is a common way for students to hang out with each other.
“We usually just go out to eat in Boston. Nowhere specific, we just go to random places,” junior Meileen Trinh said. “I like chatting and having a good time. Obviously the food is really nice, too.”
Sit-down restaurants are not the only option; in nearby towns like Wellesley, there are many easily accessible restaurants with takeout food.
“I like Sweetgreen, Chick-Fil-A, and Chipotle,” junior Natalie Ohanian said.
Some students prefer to shop in nearby malls, and tend to visit large trendy stores while there.
“We’ll go to the Natick Mall. Sometimes we’ll go to Urban Outfitters or Free People, or just walk around and hang out,” freshman Sammie Waxman said.
Other students choose outdoor shopping areas as good places to spend time with their friends, whether they spend money or just window shop.
“Sometimes we’ll go to Boston and walk around Newbury street,” junior Gracyn Summersgill said. “Not really [to go into] any specific stores, honestly. It’s just fun to be in Boston with friends.”
Physical activity is also a favorite way for students to hang out with each other while getting some exercise in.
“I went rock climbing with a friend recently at Central Rock Gym,” freshman Hailey Andrasco said. “It was actually really fun.”
On top of doing casual physical activities for fun and exercise, some students get together with their teammates to practice their sports.
“We go to soccer fields to play soccer,” freshman Chloe Sullivan said. “I can just be myself and it’s fun. It’s always a good time.”
Some WHS students prefer recreational outdoor activities when with their friends rather than practicing traditional sports.
“We play mini golf a lot, and sometimes shoot Nerf guns at each other,” sophomore Hunter Schmidt said. “I [like getting] to connect with people who I haven’t talked to in a long time.”
While getting out of town may offer the most diverse hangout opportunities, many WHS students prefer to get together with friends at someone’s home for a more relaxed experience.
“We just get together and hang out, and we talk about stuff and play various board games. We played Settlers of Catan recently,” Andrasco said. “We play online games too. We play Gartic Phone on Discord because it’s fun.”
Others prefer activities that don’t involve competition and appreciate a low-pressure experience that allows time to connect with one another.
“Maybe we’ll go hang out at someone’s house and watch a movie or talk,” Ohanian said. “Honestly at someone’s house it’s just relaxing, it’s not high pressure, and I just get to chill.”
This is especially relevant when sometimes it feels like it would take too much effort to travel outside of Weston to spend time with friends.
“I’d say people’s houses,” junior Amy Robson said about her preferred hang-out location. “There aren’t many good locations in Weston, so we’d have to drive kind of far otherwise.”
Whether students are driving to locations outside of Weston to hang out with friends, or staying at each other’s houses, they will always find something enjoyable to do.
“No matter what activity I do with a friend, I always have a good time, make the most of it, and create happy memories,” Waxman said.