Opinion

Ranking the Bathrooms at NHS

Jia Kumar

I have ranked the bathrooms at NHS based upon a variety of factors including cleanliness, length of lines, and much more.

Disclaimer: These are only my opinions. I also do not have the perspective to judge the men’s and gender-neutral bathrooms. However, there are more similarities than differences between the bathrooms in each location. The custodial staff has also been working very hard to keep the bathrooms clean and replenished; any of the negativities I refer to (particularly messes) are definitely not their fault.

WORST: Main Entrance Bathroom

One might wonder why the most accessible bathroom is being ranked the lowest. While the location is great, it means that this bathroom is overcrowded. Yes, there are lines in most bathrooms, but the lines here are so much longer than in other bathrooms. Plus, this bathroom is the messiest since it is so frequently used. Many of us just turn around and leave. I go well out of my way to avoid this bathroom.

Cafeteria Bathroom

What puts this bathroom barely above the main entrance bathroom is its slightly larger size and the fact that it can be somewhat peaceful in there in the midst of a crowded cafeteria. However, this bathroom is the least clean since it is overused. There are zero water fountains here. I go out of my way to avoid this bathroom too. It is also locked from the outside, as it should be since no one would want to use it. 

2nd Floor Back (Near Language Classrooms)

The location is somewhat hidden and there are five stalls here, therefore this bathroom never has lines. It is conveniently located close enough to all of my second floor classes. However, I would never use this bathroom if I did not have classes in that area, as it is only decent out of convenience. Furthermore, there is more wifi/internet in the hallway between the gym and the cafeteria than in this bathroom, which is really saying something. Rumor has it that all the fires originate from this bathroom, and that is never good.

3rd Floor Back (Near Math Classrooms)

This bathroom is easily accessible from two of my classes, making the location decent. There are never lines here because there are five stalls. However, a couple weeks ago, both soap dispensers in there were not working for a few days straight due to the increasing usage of these bathrooms. Therefore, these bathrooms go right below the middle of the pile.

3rd Floor Front (Near Social Studies Classrooms)

This bathroom is basically 3rd Floor Back, Version 2.0—most things are the same between these two bathrooms, but this is the better one. The soap dispensers have never run out in my recent memory. The location is just better. It is conveniently located directly across from one of my classes while being easier to access in the front of the building. This bathroom is overall mid.

1st Floor Back (Near North Star Classrooms)

I have only used this bathroom once that I can recall, and the one time I did, the lights were out. However, many of my friends have rated this bathroom positively. They keep going there despite the fact that they have no classes in that area. These bathrooms are supposedly so good that many high school students are willing to walk halfway across the building and down an extra flight of stairs just to use them, which says enough about the quality of this bathroom on its own. I trust my friends, so I am giving this bathroom fourth place.

2nd Floor Front (Near Some English Classrooms)

If there are lines at the first floor bathrooms, I would just walk a short flight of stairs if the first main entrance one was crowded (as usual). This was a favorite of mine during mask break, when that was still a thing (it still should be). Unfortunately, the lines have been increasing. However, the lines only occur here in between classes, and they are relatively short in comparison to the lines in many of the other bathrooms. While this bathroom only wins third place, it is the best out of the second and third floor bathrooms.

Bathroom Across Fitness Center/Outside Gymnasium

I will admit that this bathroom is a tad cramped and the water from the fountain right outside tastes the worst. However, it is conveniently located right across the fitness center. I change here during priv, when the locker rooms are locked. Although one may argue that this bathroom is cramped, the space is actually used pretty effectively. The stalls do not feel any smaller than those of other bathrooms. The only reason these seem cramped is because there is not much space by the sinks, which is actually good because it means no people who are blocking the sinks for twenty minutes straight. These bathrooms do not get the recognition that they deserve.

BEST: Locker Room Bathroom

We have a winner! This bathroom is a package deal: it comes with changing areas, sports lockers, and even showers. I do not use all of these luxurious amenities regularly, but it is nice knowing that I could survive here longest if I were locked in. Crowds? Lines? Broken soap dispensers? Never. If that is not enough, here is a quote from an obviously credible source to prove this bathroom’s supremacy: “...[T]he girls’ locker room is nice and quiet, and is in fact quite spacious. I usually have a section all to myself, and I can do a multitude of things such as not [changing in] a stall, taking a bunch of selfies of my fits, and singing without being judged by anybody.” -“Confessions of a Woman in Team Sports” (March 2022)

In other words, I am a big fan. I have been giving this bathroom the recognition it deserves since day one. Yes, the locker rooms are locked in between classes, but the more valuable something is, the more likely it is to be locked (unless it is the cafeteria bathroom). The girls’ locker room forever holds a special place in my heart.

The Americanization of Different Cultures

Olivier Therien

From the birth of the country to the protests of today, Americans seem obsessed with proving that they are “the best”. They make the best music, they have the best sports, they have the most money, etc. 

But how much of that is true? The best music? That’s more of a subjective term, and it’s pretty much impossible to say which country makes the best music. Based solely on listens per month, the Spanish-speaking world seems to be more popular than the United States. The best sports? The Olympics continue to disprove that. The most money? Countries like Luxembourg, Singapore, and Qatar have more GDP per capita than America does. 

Instead, this American pride likely stems from the impenetrable Constitution that created a set of laws built on truth rather than corruption. Unfortunately, that ideal, which has been spoon-fed to every American generation, has caused more than just passionate patriotism. Now, many Americans have a superiority complex about their country, resulting in them refusing to learn from or even respect other cultures and religions. It’s baked so deeply into the American lifestyle that most don’t recognize it’s there. 

Asian restaurants, which are known for their “authentic cuisine”, often serve a mixture of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanise dishes. While this benefits the restaurants, who are able to cater to different people who have different tastes, it teaches Americans to generalize the cultures as one monolith: “Asian”. This generalization causes misinformation and general ignorance towards other cultures, bolstering the lie/misguided idea/misconception that all other countries are the same and America is one of a kind. It also causes misrepresentation in media, because the traditions of one culture can be falsely applied to another. As just one example, consider chopsticks. Even though chopsticks are common in Thai, Bangladeshi, and Indian restaurants (in America), those cultures actually use forks and knives, not chopsticks. Despite the fact that this is easily accessible information, media portraying these cultures often use chopsticks because they’re seen as an Asian tradition. 

Other than generalizing, American media is guilty of inadequately researching cultures before setting their media and shows in them. This is true even for cultures that are technically under the American umbrella, like Hawaii in Lilo and Stitch. Although the movie received glowing praise during a time in which it seemed Disney could do nothing right, one common criticism was its portrayal of Hawaiian tourism. While the culture is well-represented with hulas, differently-sized drums, American influence, and traditional Polynesian dances, the film refuses to demonstrate tourist ignorance. Many tourists do little to avoid offending locals and often make them feel like tourist attractions in their own homes. Instead, the film portrays the tourists as well-meaning and unintrusive.

In one deleted scene, the film tackles this issue head-on by having Lilo egg on tourists who say things to her such as “speak English?” or “Oh look! A real native!” Although no Disney executive has explained why Disney deleted this scene, speculation suggests that they didn’t want to make white viewers uncomfortable. However, by shielding their viewers, Disney reinforced the blissful ignorance Americans have about Polynesian culture. 

The answer as to why Americans seem obsessed with their country and refuse to learn about others is a mystery that can only be solved through speculation. One popular theory blames America's history. After all, America was founded to prioritize American culture, and successfully created a system of laws that worked much better than the British monarchy. As it was taught in schools, American children were shown that their way of life fundamentally functioned better than everyone else's, which led to the toxicity we live through today.

Some may say that this isn’t a big deal. After all, America's foreign friends are an ocean away, and America has few neighbors to educate itself on, so what’s the point of knowing about/having accurate information about other cultures? Well, although it's true that other countries are far away, it’s still important to represent them well, whether it be in a restaurant or a movie that’s distributed internationally. Not only does this help make sure that the immigrants from these countries feel like America has represented their country well, but it’s also useful in applying these countries’ strategies at dealing with big-picture problems.