Using the restroom should be a quick, in-and-out experience where you do your business, wash your hands and leave. Unfortunately, it seems like North has a problem where certain students have decided that the restroom is their own personal playground. In my four years of high school, vandalism in the restroom has always been an issue. It didn’t matter if we were under COVID restrictions or if everyone was returning to in school learning, the restrooms were being vandalized.

Vandalism in the restroom can take many forms. Some people don’t clean up after themselves, others shove garbage into the toilets while others draw offensive, hateful language on the walls. The walls in the restrooms have all sorts of things drawn on them with some students going as far as writing slurs and drawing hate symbols, such as swastikas, on the walls.  

A huge problem that seems to be on the rise this school year is students shoving random items into the toilets. It’s not a funny joke to shove empty soda bottles, food wrappers or other items into the toilet. It renders the toilets unusable until a janitor comes and cleans it out. It’s not fair to the janitors who already have a lot on their plates that immature students are making their job more difficult for an unfunny joke.

Back in late 2021 a TikTok trend emerged where students would destroy school property for cheap views. FHN implemented its own policy where students would be severely punished if they participated in the trend. Sinks, soap dispensers, mirrors and a stall door were all stolen and restrooms were shut off for weeks at a time. People continuing to trash our restrooms will only lead to those policies being reinstated and the restrooms being closed again which in turn affects 99% of the school’s population who aren’t doing dumb things in the restroom.

The most disgusting thing to walk in on is people who don’t clean up after themselves. If you’re in high school you should know to flush the toilet after you use it. If you need to clean up after yourself you should do it yourself and not expect someone else to do it for you. 

There is nothing more frustrating than walking into the restroom and seeing things shoved into toilets, stall doors broken and people who don’t clean up after themselves. Together if the students of North started using the restrooms the way they were intended to be used, the restrooms wouldn’t have to be closed off for days at a time and faculty would have more trust in their students when they ask to use the restroom. Everyone needs to come together and treat the school restrooms like they would the restroom at their own home.