Amidst the chaos of a relentless flu season, one can hope to keep the germs at bay by scrubbing their hands with soap and water. It is what is expected to have instilled in us: scrubbing our fingernails and palms while singing the full ABCs. But, there is one major problem: how are we supposed to keep our hands clean when the state of Meridians sinks, soap dispensers, and paper towel dispensers are an unhygienic disaster?
For months, I have washed my hands in restrooms with three sinks and one working soap dispenser. Paper towel rolls left for students on the countertops are soaked with water. What are we expected to dry our hands with? Towel dispensers in multiple bathrooms were left broken for months, with no apparent hygiene upkeep effort from the students and staff of Meridian. My fellow students and I refuse to leave the bathroom searching for hand sanitizer as a “clean enough” replacement for hand washing. As students, we must acknowledge our responsibility to keep our shared spaces clean so we may all practice good hygiene. Treat the school’s property with respect and care- but Meridian- do better!