While the staircases scattered throughout the campus are the most widely used form of vertical transportation within the school buildings, they have been frequently criticized by students across year levels. Nevertheless, have you ever wondered– have we been wrongfully maligning stairs this entire time?
Well, look no further! Here is a TOK-worthy, completely impartial analysis of the school stair system, with three reasons why stairs are incredibly beneficial– and five reasons why all of that is absolutely wrong.
Advantages
Health Benefits
Traversing the stairs is an excellent way to get some exercise at school. Just think of the health benefits! Research suggests that stair climbing strengthens one’s muscles and bones. Considering how students are practically required to lead sedentary lifestyles, desk-bound for the majority of the school day as they are, this is not only convenient but also instrumental to one’s well-being.
Free Oxygen
Taking the stairs gives students an opportunity to get some fresh air! I think we can all agree that nothing is more refreshing and revitalizing than inhaling a breath of newly photosynthesized oxygen (among other gases), especially after being cooped up in a classroom all day long.
Convenience
The stairway system allows mass passage of students between classes. While this often results in students packed together like sardines in a can, futilely trying to shove past each other in an attempt to move from one floor to another, just think of the number of elevators you’d need to accomplish the very same thing! It’s just not feasible.
Of course, this article isn’t just pro-stair propaganda. Without further ado, here’s the other side of the argument.
Disadvantages
Fatigue
Now, I’m sure that all of us here have experienced the pain that is having to walk from the ground floor up to the sixth. It is an irrefutable fact that the physical exertion required to climb stairs tires students out, which may well have a detrimental effect on their learning capacity in classes.
We at RCHK Leeks managed to get in touch with one unfortunate student, who is forced to suffer the adverse effects of taking the stairs on a near-daily basis.
“I have advisory on the sixth floor. That’s… I think you get the point.”
The Utter Chaos That Is The State Of The Stairs Between Classes
The stairs are often crowded and disorderly despite the measures in place– for instance, the old system for going up or down on a certain side of the stairs, or the designated up/down staircases of the present day. This renders the stairways difficult to traverse, particularly in between class periods, during which the majority of students are trying to get to their next class.
Moisture-Related Safety Hazards
It must also be noted that the stairs often become dangerously slippery during or after periods of rain; even those that aren’t open-air usually end up the same way regardless due to students tracking water onto the steps. This may pose a safety hazard at times, and must be taken into account in order to ensure the health and continued physical well-being of all students who take the stairs.
Social Inequality
Moreover, students are forbidden to take the elevators at school under normal circumstances, which perpetuates the continued inequality between students and teachers. While it could be argued that the elevators are in limited supply, meaning that teachers, who may need to get from one floor to another quickly, should get priority, the fact remains that the majority of students have no choice but to walk. Thus, the stairways are an enduring symbol of the imbalance of power, and should therefore be abolished.
Stairs Are Intrinsically Evil
Last but not least, the final reason why stairs are anything but beneficial– it simply cannot be denied that stairs are not only malicious by nature, but they are also inherently untrustworthy.
They’re always up to something.
Article Photos: Helium