Borough Diversity at Lab

The front of Lab High School 

Students at Lab commute everyday to school from varying boroughs besides Manhattan. Many students also reside in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and even Staten Island. The main form of transportation that Labbies take to and from school is the train. From what I have seen, the most popular trains taken are the L, A, C, E, Q, F, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, R, and N trains. Some students also take different forms of transportation such as the bus, Citi Bikes, and even walking. 

A 9th grader, Stella Vosko, lives on the Upper East side. To get to and from school everyday, she takes the Q then transfers to the L train. The Q takes 30 minutes, and the L takes 10, making her commute a total of 40 minutes. She says that the commute “isn’t that bad unless the Q takes a while and I have to wait in the station for a long time.” 

A 10th grader named Dylan Paris lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn. To go to school, Dylan takes the F train from 7th Avenue to Jay Street, then he takes the A or C train to 14th Street. In total his ride is 13 stops, and with no delays, his commute is only around 20-30 minutes. He says he rates his commute a 3/10 for difficulty, 10 being very hard. “I notice that there's a decent amount of kids who live more than 30 minutes away from the school, many people take more than one train as well,” he says. 

I live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Since I am right next to the East River, it takes a significantly shorter amount of time for me to reach Manhattan compared to other neighborhoods in Brooklyn. I walk to the train station from my house which only takes around 7 minutes, if I walk fast. Then I take the L train from Bedford Ave. to the last stop, 14th Street. Depending on the time I leave and how the trains are running that day, my commute usually takes around 15-20 minutes .One reason that I decided to go to Lab was because I knew the commute would be relatively easy. I also was aware that most Lab students didn’t live super close to the school, and that commuting from different neighborhoods and boroughs wasn’t uncommon.

Lab is a school that serves as a melting pot for students hailing from diverse boroughs and neighborhoods across the city. Every day, the school comes alive with the vibrant energy of students who commute from various corners of New York City to be part of this close-knit community. The bustling hallways echo with the cultural richness of the five boroughs, as students from Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island converge to share their experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds. This dynamic mix not only fosters a sense of unity but also creates a mosaic of ideas, enriching the educational journey for everyone involved. The commitment to borough diversity at NYC Lab School is more than just a geographical one; it's a celebration of the city's multifaceted identities that thrive within the walls of the school, turning each day into an opportunity for cultural exchange and collaborative learning.