You may have noticed it. You’ll enter the bathroom and find two or three people loitering there. In some cases, this is between classes; in others, it’s while class is going on. So why is it that students are spending their time inside the school’s restrooms? 

In some cases, students leave with the express purpose of staying in the bathroom often will do so as a way to destress from the normal classroom environment. Elizabeth Yao, staff writer for Edina High school in 2021, said this, “Whether it’s the familiar feeling of stress or the unpleasantness of the environment, students leave either because they need a mental or social break.”

Some students at Bob Jones share this opinion. When asked why they tended to loiter in the bathroom, freshman Antonio had this to say, “Just to take a mental break from class.” Freshman Cassandra said, “Usually I’m meeting a friend from a different class. We’ll just stay inside and talk for a few minutes.” For some students, the bathroom seems to be an escape from the normal hustle of the classroom– a place to unwind and decompress with friends, if even for a short period of time.

For others though, the bathrooms are a place to actively be avoided. Recent events such as vandalism and the scattering of trash have caused many to turn away from using the schools restrooms. Freshman Jamya said, “Sometimes there’s too many people in them, or there are no clean stalls.” Brodey, a sophomore, added, “It’s always crowded. I understand students go there to get a break, but it’s a big problem. I don’t like that the school bathrooms are rarely clean. It’s disappointing that they are often broken.” 

Overall, we at Bob Jones seem to have two problems, students unwilling to go to the bathroom due to crowding or being dirty or in disrepair and those seeking a safe haven to unwind. As students of Bob Jones, it is our duty to be mindful and respectful of those around us. We should endeavor to leave our restrooms better than we found them, and we should make sure that we aren’t abusing our bathroom privileges.