The characters are all high schoolers and this is where they attend school. Margo is part of the "popular" group, but she wants revenge on her "friends." She enlists Quentin's help because 5/11 of her tasks need a getaway driver. The high school is very important because it is one of the reasons Margo hates her town. This is a coming of age novel and being that most of the characters involved are seniors in high school, there's that feeling of a chapter closing that is heavy throughout the novel. This is one of the reasons why Quentin is holding on to Margo, mainly the version he has created of her in his head. Throughout his high school years, he has seen her as something special and with high school coming to an end, and he doesn't want to let go of that vision.

"If I am ever told that I have one day to live, I will head straight for the hallowed halls of Winter Park High School, where a day has been known to last a thousand years."