While walking through the crowded hallways of the school, most students hardly even notice the rows and rows of maroon and blue lockers lining the sides of each hallway. It is seen as commonplace to simply carry a backpack between classes, and the average student does not even have a locker to call their own.

Why does the school not assign lockers to every student? Sheri Jiron, AP Office Secretary, said, “Not many students use them. Also, it makes it less stressful for everyone at the beginning of the year to not have an extra thing to assign.”

However, Jiron recommends locker use, and says that students should “get a locker central to their classes, because you can choose [the location]. If they want to switch after the semester, they can.”

Prince Mills is one of the fewer than three dozen students who use a locker. Mills said he got a locker “for efficiency. To keep all of my heavy textbooks in.” He also recommends locker use to students, saying, “It’s subjective. If you need one, get one. If you don’t want to ruin the style of your backpack it’s always helpful” in order to salvage the quality of both your belongings, and your back.

Heavy textbooks are definitely a common problem. The AP Art History textbook, at 11 pounds, is too heavy to fit on any of the scales in either the science department or the child development room. Students may have as many as 4 textbooks per semester. Getting a locker may help with the overload of books.

In order to receive a locker, a student simply has to talk to Mrs. Jiron in the AP Office. He or she will then give her the number of the desired locker, and by the next day a custodian will have cut the plastic tie off so that it may be opened. The only cost to students is providing a lock.

Utilizing a locker can be the solution for problems such as having an overload of heavy school supplies, but there is another side to the issue. Jiron said, “Many feel that there’s not enough time between classes” to get back and forth to switch out your belongings. In addition, each locker is only 9 inches across; making it very difficult to fit a backpack in.

Overall, the choice is up to the individual on whether to carry all your books or go to a locker between classes. But there is also an option for students who do not wish to follow one extreme or the other. Many locker owners use that space simply for extra objects like a winter coat, heavy textbooks, or a device for the school’s new BYOD policy. The choice is up to the student on which option works best for them.