Imagine this: lips gracing lips, bodies leaving no room for Jesus, heavy breathing into each other’s faces. This is not some R-rated movie scene; this is just an everyday occurrence at North Atlanta High. Left, right, front, and center, public display of affection is unavoidable at NAHS. It seems like just about everyday I capture a distracting couple pressed up against the lockers, mooching off of each other. Their ignorance creeps its way into the lives of students’ who have the simple goal of learning. You would think the authority of teachers would combat against this… Unfortunately, you’d be sadly mistaken.

The crowded halls at North Atlanta are already enough of a trek to navigate. However, when the addition of two adolescent lovebirds conjoin, the hike becomes even more of a distraction. Junior Dustin Rovak stated, “These couples need to keep it out of the school zone. I am here to learn. The audacity to take my place of work… and to turn it into some love room… Unbelievable.” The young baseball star’s stance on this issue speaks for himself and practically the entire school. It is safe to say that the Dubs are DONE with this PDA.

Now you might be thinking… “Why not take another route?” or even “Just look away.” Although it seems like a simple fix, it is far beyond repair. Just about any route to a class you could think of, lies PDA. No matter where you go: stairs, elevators, even the lunch line. It seems like everyone just comes to school to see who can find the most inappropriate make-out spot. It is exhausting and excessive, especially for scholarly students who just want to learn without being forced into a third wheel with strangers.

What’s even more confusing is the lack of enforcement. We have rules about dress code. We have rules about tardiness. We even have the ridiculous 15/15 rule that stops students from using the bathroom for the first and last 15 minutes of class. But what administrators can’t seem to fathom is that maybe students shouldn’t be allowed to exchange spit throughout the hallway. When a teacher seems like they might catch one of the straggling couples and make a difference for the better. They seem to escape and keep up the facade yet again. A true Houdini every time.

Now this rant is not to say, “Never hold hands” or “Don’t be in love.” It is simply an announcement to be cautious of your surroundings. Everyone agrees that they don’t want to see a reenactment of “The Notebook” while racing to be on time to math class. North Atlanta students deserve to be in an environment where they can be free to act on their own. But by all means… do not take that freedom for granted. So to all the couples this addresses … Get a Room!