Bathrooms are crucial for school, as students often drink plenty of water during the school day and then have the urge to use the restroom. They provide a vital space for these needs. However, while bathrooms are meant to assist young students, they aren’t always used solely for their intended purpose.

Often girls, especially during passing periods, use the bathroom as a place to meet up with friends. While talking to your friends is perfectly fine,they could be easily socializing outside the bathroom. Because of this, it often gets crowded with girls who don’t actually have to use the bathroom, making it difficult for those who do, especially in emergencies.

Once a group of friends were passing around a buzz ball in the bathroom. Not only is that unsanitary, but it’s also very inconsiderate to the girls who actually need to use the facilities. The waiting area outside becomes crowded, and even inside the stalls, it’s cramped. Typically, two to four girls squeeze into one large stall, and you can tell they are passing vapes around, which makes the line for the bathroom longer and leads to even more crowded conditions.

During breaks between classes, the bathrooms get particularly crowded. They’re mostly filled with girls trying to check or touch up their makeup. I understand that after being in class for over an hour, it’s natural to want to freshen up before your next class starts. However, they’re taking up the mirror space, which is conveniently located by the sinks. As a result, girls who finish using the toilets often have to wait for those looking at themselves in the mirror, leading to a very crowded bathroom with girls waiting to wash their hands.

It’s common for people to take up bathroom stalls without using them as intended, forcing those who actually need to use it to wait. They end up waiting for a stall that may be occupied by a group of four girls to go unoccupied, which ultimately causes them to be late for class, simply because others are inconsiderate about the bathroom.

Girls should be more mindful of their reasons for going into the bathroom. If the administration takes this bathroom situation more seriously, they can help us address the issue and maintain a more orderly environment.