High schoolers range from the ages of 14 through 18, yet you notice how truly immature certain people are as you leave the bathroom stalls.

When I, and most, walk out of a bathroom stall, the first instinct is typically to wash my hands thoroughly with soap. How anyone can feel otherwise boggles my mind, but almost daily I witness multiple individuals leave the bathroom without so much as looking at the hand sanitizer hanging on the walls let alone the soap and water.

As a high school student, I’m sure your parents, teachers, and other parental figures have taught you to wash your hands after you use the restroom. It’s appalling that people continuously skip that vital part of their day.

This knowledge makes me hesitant to touch absolutely anything in the school: railings, desks, chairs, and anything else. Can you imagine how many germs one person can carry out of the bathroom with them? Well, you don’t need to with statistics like these . . .

Hand washing reduces the number of people who get sick by 23-40% and reduces respiratory illnesses, like colds, by 16-21%. Sadly, the estimated global rates of hand washing after using the restroom are only 19%! We must do better. Our health depends on it.

Good for everyone who washes their hands every time they use the restroom; you’re clearly not the reason half the kids in school have colds all year round. For those of you who don’t . . . Reconsider. Please.