Advice for lateness, lockers & staying safe

Written by Estela Gilfillan and Ellen Salome

 

Middle school is a challenge. Everybody may face the same problems or different ones. But some of these problems are the most popular ones that middle school students face: getting to school late, staying safe during COVID, and locker issues. These issues can affect many middle schoolers throughout the school year. Here are some options that you can try if you face any of these problems.

 

Getting to School on Time

Getting to school late sometimes happens, but if it is starting to be an issue, you can try new things to be ready on time. Like you can set your alarm for earlier so you can do everything and be done earlier so you can get to school on time. Another thing you can do is you can have a morning routine. Create it so that it is the fastest way you can get everything done in the mornings you need to and still be able to get to school on time. Everybody has different routines, so just finding one that works for you is the best thing that anybody can do.

 

Staying Safe During COVID-19

COVID-19 can be scary but there are ways to stay safe. COVID can be very dangerous so you might want to use this advice as best you can. Keep a safe distance of at least three feet, more if possible. Keep your hands clean by washing them, using hand sanitizer, or a wipe. Keep your mask on and over your nose when in public this way you don’t spread germs by coughing, sneezing, or talking. Stay home if you don’t feel well. If you think you might have COVID or are not feeling well, stay home so you don’t spread what you have to other people. Don’t touch anything you don’t need to. Items like pencils, desk, chairs, and books can carry un-known germs; you’re better safe than sorry.
 

Lockers

Last but not least, lockers. Lockers have so many problems that can occur. But as we’re getting through the year lockers can still be a challenge that can make us late to classes. First, the best thing to do if you can't remember your locker combination is to write a note of your locker combination, and then just stick it in your backpack so you can pull it out and you know your locker combination. But if your locker is stuck (for example, it's opened but caught on something inside, the best thing that you can do is to ask a teacher or friends who are close by to see if they can help you. Lastly, a problem that can occur with lockers is when you are unable to open them yourself. Maybe you can't remember which way you need to turn the knob for that number, or you’re just really confused. Don't suffer in silence! You can ask a friend who may have a locker close to yours to help, or you can ask a teacher if they can help you open it. Sometimes a teacher might have a key that you can use to help open your locker. Overall, lockers can be tricky. They affect us by making us  late to classes, or they can just be really frustrating. If these things happen to you, try some of these options and they might help you!

 

These are issues that arise for many middle schoolers. All of these options that we gave are just some possible solutions to some of the problems that middle schoolers face. If you find that you are in one of these situations, you can use some of these solutions to help you or your friends that may also have some trouble with some of these things. Just remember, that a lot of people face these things everyday, and you can too.