This past summer, the Niles West restrooms were remodeled, and many students are enjoying the new changes. I think the new bathrooms are lovely, and I especially appreciate that all of the locks on the stalls work correctly. 

“It’s definitely cleaner. [There are] no paper towels but there are more hand dryers,” junior Joanne Chau said. This definitely speaks to West’s sustainability efforts, though loud hand dryers can be disruptive for classrooms near bathrooms. Chau is not the only student who likes the change. Many students agree with her and welcome the updates.

For many students at Niles West, change has been a prominent part of their high school experience. With COVID-19 and online learning, students everywhere are adjusting to being back in school. For some these changes show how much West cares about its students. It’s telling that West invested money into the school environment. Not only is the clean and remodeled space conducive to student comfort, it also increases student pride in the school. The Wolfpack Mentality of making everyone feel comfortable is not only embodied through interactions between individuals, but also through interactions between us and physical space. 

“I think they’re very nice. I like that there’s no gap in between the doors so it makes me less self-conscious,” senior Veronica Chudoba said. 

On the other hand, some do not enjoy all aspects of the new restrooms. “I like them, but I need paper towels, and the toilets waste water because they randomly flush,” English teacher Michele Hettinger said.

Some of the West community cares deeply about sustainability. The new bathrooms and their sustainable features fit right into the green future to which the school aspires.

“I don’t know how to make it more sustainable than it already is,” Sponsor of the Go Green Club Susan Schram said. “The only thing that would make it more sustainable would be to compost the waste in toilets but that would be gross.”

The new restrooms will take some getting used to, but the many renovations around the school are clear indicators that Niles West is getting back to normal. With how distanced staff, students, and teachers have been from the building these last few years, the care and effort that have gone into the renovations show that Niles West wants to give their students the best possible learning environment, especially now that COVID-19 is not as prominent in the school. Many students appreciate the work that has gone into making our school a better and cleaner place.