As we transition from summer into fall, students are finally getting back into the routine of school. The homework load is getting heavier, and so are the textbooks. For some students, this transition has been harder than others because they are missing a locker to store everything in.

Once upperclassmen heard the news that they will not have the luxury of a locker this year, many immediately wished they had taken advantage of theirs the previous year. Having to lug multiple textbooks around, on top of heavy notebooks, binders, and papers can get old really fast.

The number of lockers has dramatically dropped compared to last year, which is due to many factors, but mainly the construction occurring in B building. This shortage on lockers resulted in freshmen and sophomores getting the remaining ones, while juniors and seniors did not get quite as lucky.

So, why do the underclassmen get lockers and upperclassmen don’t?

Sherri O’Lonergan, a guidance counselor, is able to answer this question for all those wondering.

“Typically juniors and seniors have cars they can keep their things in. We know it’s not ideal, but at least they have that option,” O’Lonergan said.

Underclassmen don’t have the option to store things in a car, so that is why administration came to the conclusion that they should be the ones to receive those lockers first.

Students seem to have different opinions on the locker situation. Some students, such as junior Kate Farhart, were more disappointed than others with the news.

“It is a little bit inconvenient for me to not be able to have somewhere in school to put my textbooks,” said Farhart. “My backpack is already too heavy, and having to carry around textbooks on top of that is frustrating.”

Other students aren’t as upset with the news because they just store everything in their cars.

“I don’t care too much about the locker shortage because I just use my car to put all my textbooks in,” junior Acacia Ryska said.

Once the construction of B building comes to an end, there will be several lockers up for grabs. The question is, who will those lockers go to?

Many underclassmen haven’t even received lockers yet because of the shortage, so the new lockers will most likely go to them, and then start filtering to those juniors and seniors who need one. If you can’t wait that long for a locker, your best option would be to share with someone.

“An important factor you need to consider if you want to share a locker with someone is to pick somebody you trust. You don’t want to choose somebody who you aren’t really friends with, especially if you keep valuables in your locker,” O’Lonergan shared.

Having to carry textbooks around with heavy backpacks, sports equipment, and loads of homework can become a real hassle if you don’t have a locker. However, there are options for those who are desperate for a locker, but don’t have one. Sharing with a buddy or using your car is a way to solve the problem of carrying heavy books around all day.

Hopefully, as the year progresses, more lockers will be available to upperclassmen. A for now, it’s heavy backpacks, books, and endless trips to the parking lot.