Raising hands to go to the bathroom seems like one of those rules that second graders have written on a cheesy laminated poster in their classrooms. Why do we as high schoolers still need to ask to go to the bathroom? What crazy teenage shenanigans are we going to get into on the five minute trip down the hall? After ten-plus years of attending school, most of us understand the difference between the right and wrong times to leave the classroom.

Obviously there are times during the school day that are better suited to taking a bathroom break than others. It doesn’t make sense to waste precious time during an A.P. U.S. History FRQ to leave the classroom; common courtesy also establishes that walking out during another classmate’s presentation is rude. However, going to the bathroom during work time doesn’t interrupt the learning process.

Furthermore, passing time is too short to make a pit stop between periods, unless your next class is right by the bathroom. The lines at the bathroom during lunch are out the door and it’s hard enough to finish our PB and Js without wasting time waiting to pee.

Several teachers, especially language teachers, have created systems that reward students for “holding it.” Teachers give out a set number of bathroom and locker passes for the quarter or semester and then offer extra credit for unused coupons.

Teachers should let their students make the choice on when to use the bathroom themselves. After all, if it is a big enough “emergency” to miss out on a fascinating lecture on cellular respiration, we should be allowed to hurry to the bathroom and hurry back.