By: Aastha Desai
(Source: Bergen County Technical School District)
Lounge space for students in school helps them take a break from the daily stressors they are facing. It is a way to escape; a place to call their safe place. It not only helps elevate students’ mood, but also improves their academic performance. High school students are constantly working towards the perfect GPA, getting good grades, being accepted to colleges, and pleasing others or themselves. The day feels longer than it’s supposed to be because feeling so overwhelmed negates the joy of learning or caring about anything. However, if schools provide a lounge area for students, at least for a few minutes throughout the day, they can make time for themselves to just live and chill. Don’t students deserve that?
To develop some friendly change, a group of juniors in the Law major established a green space by the glass hallway at Bergen Tech. Their goal is to create a place for students to relax and bring the natural environment inside the school.
A few students from Bergen Tech have been interviewed to find out how the green glass hallway improved their day at school. In the interviews, students expressed that they were pleased with the changes, but suggested several improvements, including adding more plants, allowing students to decorate the sterile white walls with murals, and adding a sunroof.
These are some of the many responses students at Bergen Tech have said on how just having a lounge-like glass hallway makes a huge difference. Being in a school where there are no windows and walls reminds them of being in a prison. A student lounge like the glass hallway brings out a new perspective to look at the day. Bergen Tech’s student body would love more improvements like this because of the significant positive impacts.
Color, Sunlight, and a shift in thinking are the steps toward a healthier school experience!
