Set the scene: It’s Friday night after a hard and grueling day at school. All you want to do now is sit back and relax. Where do you choose to go recharge after a testing day? Whether it be with a few close friends or by yourself, all students should have a place to go when they feel the weight of the world on their shoulders.

In present day, there are a few different popular hangouts for people to visit with their friends: Garden of the Gods, Dutch Bros, and Sonic. Garden of the Gods, a public park located in Colorado Springs, was declared a national landmark in 1971. When the sun sets, the view from atop the orange rocks found throughout the park creates a captivating shadow show as the light filters out of the valley calling students to come chill.

Contrasting this natural beauty is the bitter-sweet aroma of coffee from a local Dutch Bros Coffee located on West Garden of the Gods Road. Maybe it’s the friendly faces that greet us at the open window, or perhaps, it’s the caffeinated cure for the early morning haze as we stumble through every day of the week.

But let’s not forget the industrial monster that haunts our street corners with offers of drive in ordering stations. Sonic – found next to the Chapel Hills Mall – is a common place to find Air Academy students after dances, games, or practices. The burger mongrel, best known for its half price shakes and incandescent lights, is a beacon to Air Academy students after events such as prom, homecoming, and football games.

Below are the memories and favorite places for both students and graduates to hang out during their stay at Air Academy High School.                 

Theresa Farley, a junior at Air Academy High School said, “My favorite place to hang out with friends is at the Penny Arcade in Manitou Springs because it’s such a fun and different environment from the rest of the Springs.

“The penny arcade is this gnarly vintage arcade with a totally laid back, fun-fueled vibe,” she adds. “My favorite games there are probably air hockey and the pinball machine.

“My most recent favorite memory of hanging out with my friends would probably be when some of us went up to Denver for the weekend and went to a couple of haunted houses to prep for Halloween.”

Jason Buhler, engineering teacher at AAHS, graduated from here in 1988. He said in the mid ’80s he and his friends  mostly hung out at each other’s houses.

“We would spend most of our time playing sports or watching movies,” he said. “We also played a lot of miniature golf (weather permitting) at a place on Academy.

“My favorite memory would probably be Mr. Bartlett’s Aerospace Science class or the football team going to the semi-finals of the state playoffs.”

From past to present, everyone who has walked through Air Academy’s halls has fun memories of his or her time spent during those peaceful walks through the park or trips to Chapel Hills Mall.

The time we chose to spend with people outside of school is a special part of our time in high school. Whether it is spent running rampant around town, ensuring you left a skid-mark on every turn, or calmly laying back on the grass just outside your front lawn gossiping about the day’s drama, everyone has interesting memories of high school.