Imagine the scene. A crowded space that’s hot, congested, and overloaded. Inside this space there are 15 high school students filled with angst and annoyance. These students are crowded together, with one being pinned against the wall, another being elbowed in the stomach, and someone’s foot being stepped on. Many wait silently and awkwardly, while others watch TikTok videos on full volume. Pretty interesting scene, right. But just exactly where am I? North Atlanta’s famous elevators, of course!
This is an 11-story school so we all are very much dependent on our building’s elevators. They are always in demand, especially between classes. And when you hail an elevator, all students have to play the “who will get off the overloaded elevator first” game. As the elevator beeps and repeats “This elevator is overloaded” in its monotone voice, North Atlanta students bicker about who should sacrifice themselves and take the stairs. Once a student finally leaves the elevator, there is still a 99 percent chance that it will continue to beep.
And, yes – all things do break down occasionally – there have been some cases where students and teachers have gotten stuck in elevators. (Oftentimes it’s student horseplay that causes the breakdowns so can we all make a truce to stop that, please?) Claustrophobia creeps among the victims as they anxiously wait for the maintenance team to arrive. Let’s just call this one of the more unique parts of our school. We all do get out of these cramped spaces and, yes, we do make our way to class but – still – it can be nerve-wracking!
Like many privileges of North Atlanta, elevator access follows an unwritten hierarchy. For freshmen with ninth floor classes, this often means being pushed towards the stairs. Meanwhile, other students choose to ignore the system altogether, shoving their way into an already crowded elevator.
The most unforgivable offense is taking the elevator up only one, two, or even three floors. An unspoken rule dictates that if you’re traveling fewer than four floors, the stairs are the better option. Still, some students and even teachers ignore this expectation, taking up space that could be used by someone who actually needs the elevator. When these riders step off after just a couple floors, the rest of the elevator makes a point to voice their frustration. At North Atlanta: the safest rule of thumb is simple: avoid the elevator whenever possible.
The elevator situation is so serious that during lunch students pack up nearly ten minutes early, bracing themselves for the battle ahead. They crowd the cafeteria doors, waiting to be dismissed, and once released, sprint faster than they ever have before. When they finally reach the elevator, pushing and shoving erupts, with water bottles knocked from backpacks and even shoes kicked off in the chaos.
North Atlanta’s elevators are not for the faint of heart. In fact, riding them risks being badgered by other students, or waiting so long that the bell rings, defeating the purpose of using the elevator to make it to class on time. I’ll admit it: They are popular places to be! No wonder they get crowded! Considering all of this, it hardly seems unreasonable to sacrifice convenience and climb eight flights of stairs instead. After all, a little exercise never hurt anyone! See you on the stairwells, Dubs!
