Throughout my past four years on campus, there has been a mix of teachers that are more strict than others when it comes to trips to the bathroom during class. Their policies range from letting students go whenever they want, only letting one go at a time, or giving students one bathroom trip per six weeks.

There are even teachers who reward students for not going to the bathroom at the end of the six weeks for extra points on a minor grade or something similar. Although there is plenty of time for students to go to the bathroom between classes and at lunch, teachers should let students go to the bathroom whenever they feel they need to.

If a student is willing to avoid learning time for their personal needs, that is their choice. In college, your professor is not going to hold your hand and tell you that you need to stay in class. It’s a choice.

High school is supposed to prepare students for college, not hold students’ hands and lecturing them on what is an “emergency” and what isn’t. Another problem this issue can excel is the risk of being sick. If a student is feeling that they might be sick, they’re going to think twice about rushing to the bathroom because they may need the extra points desperately. Even though my time on campus is coming to an end, it’s still important for underclassmen to have the privilege of going to the bathroom and should learn from my experience.