I meant to reply sooner, but the day kept slipping away from me and I figured a quick note now was better than waiting another round.
I tried the route you suggested, and it honestly made everything smoother. The hallway crowd was gone by the time I arrived, and I actually had a calm start instead of sprinting in at the last minute.
I also remembered to bring the notebook, which felt like a small miracle because I usually leave it by the door and forget it completely.
If we do the same plan next week, I can meet a little earlier and help set things up before everyone else shows up. That would probably save us some scrambling later.
I am still laughing about how long we spent debating the playlist when nobody noticed what was playing anyway. Next time I am picking something simpler and calling it done.
Let me know if you want me to handle the brief recap too, because I already have most of it outlined in my head.