As you take your first timid steps out of the car, tightly wrapped in your jacket, you are struck by the whipping winter wind. Your hands are stuffed in your pockets as you scrunch your face against the cold. Later, just as you begin to regain some warmth in the classroom, you realize that you must face the treacherous cold once again, as soon as you finish your first block class.

This is one of the faults of Wayland High School’s open campus. We all appreciate the rejuvenating breaths of fresh air between classes on warm days; however, living in New England, we have to deal with frigid temperatures. The weather is freezing cold over half the school year, and nobody enjoys having to write with frozen hands or sit through classes with sopping wet clothes. Is an open campus worth it?

Aside from the inclement weather, Wayland’s open campus also poses safety issues. Junior Annie Culver cited “slippery pathways and water dripping from the overhangs” as frequent sources of trouble for students.

Even when there is no snow, just a little bit of rain can cause the smooth cement sidewalks to become slippery. As a result, students slip and fall as they hustle from class to class. Since students seldom have time to take the longer route and walk under the overhangs, they are often left exposed to rain and snow. This can easily soak and ruin clothes and shoes, which don’t get a chance to dry as the day progresses.

In the spring, when the weather is warmer, there are still negatives. “I have horrible allergies, and when everything starts growing again I always get really itchy eyes and a runny nose,” noted an anonymous student.

On the other hand, an anonymous junior explained that the open campus “gives a feeling of relief from the academic atmosphere” in the spring, and further remarked that she likes to “hang out with friends outside” in pleasant weather. Others agreed, saying that the scattered breaths of crisp New England air are often welcome.

Still, exclusively outdoor pathways are unsuited for Wayland. Students should at least have the option to walk from class to class, outdoors or indoors. We must find a rational solution to accommodate both standpoints.

A possible solution is a new campus layout, where independent buildings are connected with see-through indoor hallways. Students wishing to stay inside can use them, but outdoor pathways could be kept so that students could also choose to walk outside on nice days.

This idea might become a reality. Recently, a new Futures Team was formed: a group of parents, teachers, and students formed to address the issues and possibilities behind building a new high school.

I, for one, hope that with a more flexible type of campus, future students at Wayland High School will be able to navigate around campus without being affected by cold, snow, rain, and allergies.