An entity overwhelms the halls after they flood with students at 2:55. It surrounds us, takes up too much space, and there’s nothing we can do about it. Except, maybe we could just get rid of it.

There is a culture at UPrep to not use a locker; this year, over half of them are not even assigned to anybody, according to Division Directors’ Assistant Farzana Bi, who allocates lockers.

There are 555 lockers in the school, and yet, when was the last time you used one? Yeah, me too.

Sure, there are those few sixth graders who use their lockers, but there isn’t enough reason to keep all of them.

This year, students requested a mere 77 lockers, a fraction of the population.

Students have no issue carrying books and bags everywhere we go, and we don’t hesitate to leave them out in the open during assembly.

Nobody has the time to go to their lockers between classes, especially with the ULab and commute times, let alone remember a code, enter it wrong, jiggle the lock and try again.

And here’s the thing: it’s not like the lockers are just sitting there, pointless but harmless; they are an issue. Some are set into the wall, but it especially affects the hallways in the Classroom Building and upper commons. The halls are already over-stuffed with students, when the non-existent bell rings.

So, why not just get rid of the lockers? Let the space breathe. Utilize it to display student art. Advertise programs led by staff and the student body. This is less of a problem and more of a missed opportunity.

The theme of the year is school spirit, and this gives us a chance to capitalize on space and push the theme. When somebody walks into the halls, they should see the school spirit emanating from the ceiling to the floor.

We must recognize that there is not enough reason to keep all the lockers. We should leave enough for the sixth graders and the few others who might want them and move on.