Dear Hallways

Dear School Hallways,

Do you miss us? Do you miss kids stomping all around on you? Do you miss the security guards making sure you were safe? I miss you; you were the passageway to all my classes and gave me many options to get around the school. You were the social hotspot for everyone. 

I hope they took care of you when we left. By “they”, I mean the janitors; they probably made you look the best you have since summer. I was told you were going to be well-sanitized from all the germs on you. You deserved it for all you see and go through with like 1,000 teenagers walking all over you - must be hard to deal with us.

We all thought we were going to have a three-week break that turned into what feels like a forever thing. It feels like we will be stuck in our houses for an eternity. I assume we are supposed to hope and wait for our world to get back to normal; it will be a new normal, but closer to natural. 

Let me tell what I have done: there isn’t a lot. I like to act as if walking from my desk to the kitchen table is like walking from class to class; this gives me hope that I will one day endure the school hallways again. Sometimes, I pretend there are people blocking my way: I heard sticking to your regular schedule is good. Also, my dog and I have been exploring the streets of Franklin Park; I've never seen so many people running, biking, or even speed walking so cautiously. 

Before I end my letter, I would like to tell you a short story; I know everyone barely has any time during quarantine. I had run out of toothpaste and my mom needed some products, so we had to go to Walgreens. When we arrive, the parking lot is packed. I thought, “Had they restocked the hand sanitizer or toilet paper?” If you didn’t know, those two products are equal to gold. We go in, get our stuff and get in line to checkout. The lady behind us asks, “Is the toothpaste really needed? You should save your money for something else.” 

Anyways, I hope to see you soon and I promise the students will love and appreciate you when we return!

Your friend,

Maya Madej