Using a public restroom is always an awkward experience. The thin metal walls that separate you from another uncomfortable stranger during your most vulnerable moment of the day are enough to make anyone hold their urges until they arrive back at home.
Many students attend classes at Pierce College in large bulks of time. It is not uncommon for a student to arrive at 8 a.m. and stay on campus until 3 p.m. If you are a lucky individual such as myself, you have the joy of arriving to school at 8 a.m. and attending class until 11 p.m.
In this type of situation, using a public restroom is practically inevitable. The majority of my classes are in the Village area on campus. Often, I see custodians cleaning various parts of the Village in the day and nighttime hours. I have witnessed custodians cleaning the bathrooms occasionally, but to be honest, I cannot tell at all.
I am always surprised and somewhat shocked by the degenerative state of the restrooms, especially the ones in the Village.
Just today, the handicapped stall was the filthiest I have ever seen in my history at Pierce. Toilet paper was strewn in every corner of the stall. Wet toilet seat covers were scattered across the floor. This, however, was not even the peak of my disgust. When I noticed about 50 ants crawling on the toilet seat, I knew my short visit to the restroom was about to get a whole lot shorter.
Frustrated and chilled, I went to wash my hands at the sink. There was absolutely no soap in the dispenser or even a spare paper towel to wipe my hands. The custodians are cleaning the bathrooms and the students are the ones who destroy them on a daily basis. This makes an already uncomfortable experience almost unbearable.
Please respect your fellow students and keep the restrooms clean.
Laura Davis ()
