When New Trier opened for the 2015-2016 school year, students were disappointed to find an entire hallway blocked off and the disappearance of the K stairwell. As this is expected with the renovations currently happening at the Winnetka campus, the missing hallway and stairwell have caused an increase in congestion in other hallways, most specifically the main hallway that runs from the A and B stairwells to the L and M stairwells.
Upperclassmen, it is not worth blaming the sophomores for clogging the hallway because the student population at Winnetka has not changed much from last year’s numbers. In the 2014-2015 school year, the Winnetka Campus student population was 3,119 students. This year’s student population is 3,025 students. This means there were 94 more students in the hall last year. So, the hallway congestion this year is not due to an increased student population.
Some students believe a cause of the congestion is people stopping in the middle of the hallway to talk to each other. It’s hard to believe that student habits have changed from last year with the new flow of traffic in the hallway. Conversations have always occurred in the hallways. And while most upperclassmen complain about how the sophomores stop the most in the hallway to talk to their friends, juniors and seniors are just as guilty. Everyone finds it irritating and yet no one will stop doing it. Be aware of your surroundings in the hallway and everyone will be better off because of your vigilance.
Teachers have also been greatly affected by the congestion. Physics teacher, Ryan Dunn, said he has to consciously pay attention to the passing periods and leave his office far before the bell rings.
Sometimes students forget that teachers have to get to class too. Students are not the only people in the school that are affected by the congestion. Some teachers don’t have the time to leave before the passing period like Dunn; some have to navigate through the sea of students after each class they teach. That can result in late teachers and therefore lost class time.
The simplest solution to these traffic jams is just to avoid that hallway. Upperclassmen know from previous years to avoid the P stairwell like the plague during passing periods and sophomores have been here for more than a month now and should know better. You won’t be affected by the traffic jam if you simply avoid the hallway altogether.
For those who have classes in that hallway, I wish you the best of luck. Try to avoid the P stairwell and all the traffic that comes with it. The A, B, L, and M stairwells will be the easiest to navigate, but going through that hallway will be the hardest part of your day. Remember that your sacrifice is helping pave the way to a superior school, one where all hallways are open at all times and there are no missing stairwells.
Due to the construction, the hallway and K stairwell will be inaccessible for the rest of the school year. Let this be an opportunity to switch up your routine, and find a new way to walk to your classroom. Treat it as an adventure, because let’s face it, everyday at New Trier is an adventure.