Garden City High School holds over 2,000 students, with four academies, four lunch shifts and six passing periods. Most students know just how crowded the hallways, restrooms and stairs can get. So, as a student, it is arguably your part to minimize the struggle that is passing period. Wouldn’t you agree? Well, it seems we have all forgotten our part as of late. 

I don’t know how many times I’ve been rushing across the school from Freshman to Trade and Health, and been forced to move similarly to a tectonic plate because eight lollygaggers decided to walk in a straight line in the hallway. Or maybe, you’re making good time, a few feet from your next class, when someone decides the “walk on the right side of the hall” rule doesn’t apply to them and you’re shoved so hard you get whiplash. Passing period is a good time to talk to friends, go see teachers, or just appreciate not being in class for five minutes. This is something I can agree with. I don’t mean to say that these five minutes can’t be enjoyable, keep in mind though, that some people barely have enough time to book it to their next class and you standing dead still in the middle of the hallway, crowding the bathroom entrance, or trying to look nonchalant with your headphones in while moving as slow as the earth on its axis is not ideal. 

The stairs are a whole other issue. When was the last time you remember falling up or down the stairs, and how many of those times were because someone else decided the stairs were a good place for shoving their friends against any nearby railing or kissing their girlfriend in the middle of the stairwell? The bathrooms are far from exemplary. In fact, I believe it should be studied for the kind of ecosystems that thrive in them during the passing period. If you look to your left, you’ll see five girls in line for the restroom, all of which will be late to class, because on your right, there are three girls on their phones in the stall, doing nothing, and five at the mirror, restricting access to the other two stalls. Of course, you could just go at the start of class, oh wait you can’t! Not with the ten-minute rule in place, so really passing period is your only chance, and fat chance that is. 

You may be reading this and thinking “I hate people like that! So annoying,” but I can guarantee you that every single one of us is guilty of being a passing period menace at least once a day. When you meet up with friends, your class is close by, or you just can’t be bothered to pick up the pace. I myself can say I’ve definitely caused traffic flow issues from time to time. We’ve all been that guy, so for the sake of each other’s sanity, and the risk of falling down three flights of stairs, be courteous in the hallways, and please, walk with a purpose!