By Hannan Zeyde

When was the last time you used your locker? Year by year, it seems like the students at WA have stopped using their lockers and started using their backpacks, only using the lockers in the student lounge because of PE classes and after school activities. Halls that used to once be covered with students in between classes and people socializing by lockers seem to be over, especially in Woodruff and Moss. So why is it that students have stopped using their lockers? Gabby Harrison ‘25 offers her insights.

“Last time I used my locker was freshman year, but I occasionally use the ones in Woodruff just to put stuff in for the day,” Gabby said.

Gabby elaborates on lockers that do get used.

“[Lockers in the lounge] are closer and usually people are just bringing stuff for athletics and not for academic purposes,” Gabby said.  

Chaniah Ross ‘24 felt similarly about using the lockers. 

“I don’t use the ones in the academic building because it’s an inconvenience to go to my locker in between my classes,” Chaniah said. 

At the end of virtual school coming back in person for social distancing purposes, nobody used lockers and backpacks were carried around, but once social distancing rules were lifted few people seemed to go back to using their lockers. So did Covid have an impact on locker usage? Or have times just changed? Tonya Dedeaux, Class of 2025 counselor, provides her intuition. 

“I think once Covid hit and we were in quarantine when students came back and weren’t able to use their lockers they got used to carrying their books around in their bags, so now that we have come out of quarantine, people aren’t used to using their lockers anymore and just out of habit,” Mrs. Tonya Dedeaux said. 

Blaire Lee ’25 agrees with Mrs. Dedeaux.

“Before Covid a lot of people wouldn’t carry around their bags when Covid came around the health protocols made people stop using their lockers and just continue carrying around their bags,” Blaire said.