Weather conditions force MC students to be accountable, responsible

With the recently unpredictable Chicago weather, Mount Carmel students have been posed with the almighty task of taking accountability and responsibility in planning their days . Around campus, many students can be seen doing just the bare minimum to get through the day in a variety of ways. Not bringing a coat in subzero weather or boat shoes for the inches of snow that pile up or computer bags as replacements for backpacks to avoid trips to the locker, not brushing the snow off their car before they leave. The list can go on and on. 

But all of this is in service of a noble cause. All of these strategic moves are seeking to fulfill the ultimate goal of an MC student: spending as little time at the school as possible. Reasons for that vary, but most commonly students want more sleep and less time around teachers. The hailed glory time of getting to school is walking into the side gate at 8:03, so they still have time to get to class while being as late as possible. There the students band together and treacherously hold the gate open for one another as they rush to get to class before announcements begin.

However, the weather poses a heavy threat to that proclaimed lifestyle, and now students are forced to do what they despise doing. Instead, they  must bring a coat and real shoes, bring a lock to store all of their layers, and take caution when driving and leave early. If students do not take this approach to their travels, they often compensate by driving recklessly and putting others at harm, for which they spend even more time outside of school.

“¡Ay, caramba!” said Principal Scott Tabernacki when he heard what all of the students were doing. Mr. Tabernacki, responsible for the student body, continues expressing his concerns to students. “You know we really push against people being 2:40, guys,” he said. “But if you really think about what the kids are doing going to school, this is the same thing with a different time.” Mr. Tabernacki has talked about a potential rebrand. “Now we have to start saying 8:03, guys, as well to call these guys out and get this issue fixed.”

This concept is not new to MC students. Many have likely been trying to spend as little time as possible at school since the 1980s. Mr. Bill Nolan would be a perfect example. It is thought that the trend has only passed on through the generations of brothers teaching their own younger brothers to carry on the tradition.

"The roads never seem that bad when I'm on them, and I just follow what everyone else is doing," said junior Jimi Goodman, a recently licensed driver.  “You know, it's almost like everyone is driving to get away from me, and I don't know how I feel about that.”

Hopefully, as the year continues, the weather will get better, and students will no longer have to worry about what conditions they will be going up against at school. The Chicago weather is known to start late and go extra long into the spring, although that is not always the case. 

Students now just have to keep an eye on a day-to-day basis and keep their head up, making the smart choice each day.