As a student living in the residence halls and dealing with the “pleasures” of community showers, I must say that it’s not great. It doesn’t make me happy that every time I come back to Iowa City from my hometown I get the worst case of the sniffles, because people don’t practice good hygiene or leave things that shouldn’t be seen laying around in the bathroom. We’re college students now, so we shouldn’t be reenacting those gross things we did back in elementary school. It’s time to take care of ourselves, because mom and dad aren’t here and you’re the one nursing yourself back to health. Maybe it’s just the inner clean freak in me, but we’re all ladies and shouldn’t be gross in the bathroom. Here’s what should not be happening in those tile-filled rooms.
Not remembering to flush
You are a grown adult living on your own, why are you not flushing the toilet? Would you leave a public restroom without flushing? Plus if you’re going number two, double flush or courtesy flush if you’re that nervous. Either way you should leave the toilet the way you found it…empty.
Not remembering to wash your hands
Again, you’re a grown adult, so why are you not washing your hands, especially after touching the gross toilet and toilet lever? Do you know what people did before they touched that lever? They went to the bathroom and probably wiped themselves clean with their hands, had germs on their hands and touched it. You have also touched it with your contaminated hands and you choose not to wash those hands and continue to use the door that everyone touches. The fastest way to spread germs is through hand exchange, so wash your hands. Protect yourself from a cold and everyone else. Also actually wash your hands, use soap and rub for 20 seconds, not run it under the water for two seconds…c’mon now.
Leaving your bodily fluids out to see
Do not leave your “bodily fluids” or “body waste” out there, such as in the toilet bowl, on the floor, in the showers or the sink countertop. If you don’t want to see it, no one else wants to see it. If you missed and got it on the toilet seat, clean it. Spare the custodians some time, they’re really nice people. Also spare the people that use the bathroom after you do. They shouldn’t have to clean your mess and they won’t clean your mess. Spare yourself the embarrassment, because people will know you left your mark in that stall, especially if they use it right after you do. Also, hair in the shower…toss it. No one wants to see it.
Not disposing of your hygiene products properly
Again, if you don’t want to see it, others don’t want to either, especially if it deals with that special time of the month. There’s a trashcan within arms reach from the toilet, so toss it. Do not flush your pads in the toilet. Just out of sight, out of mind. Plus the spread of bodily fluids is disgusting and harmful, you don’t know what diseases could be going around or what diseases one could have.
Not wearing shower shoes
I feel sorry for you if you use the community showers and you’re not wearing shower shoes. Have you heard of something called athlete’s foot? Or just basic toe fungi and feet fungus? It’s real and it’s gross, plus some people pee in the showers, so your feet are touching the ground where their urine once touched (sometimes the unexpected number two happens in the shower, too!) Old Navy should be having their dollar flip-flop sale soon, so definitely invest in shower shoes.
Body waste in the shower
Urinating in the shower happens occasionally in the showers, but it shouldn’t because there are toilets a potty hop away from the shower (hop to it!) There should not be fecal matter in the showers either (gross, who does that?) For some reason it happens. Please stop.
Bringing your phone to the bathroom
According to Time Magazine, one in six phones contain E.Coli. That is digusting and alarming. Stop bringing your phone to the bathroom with you. You can be apart from it for five minutes. Plus, if the toilet lever is filled with germs, imagine touching your phone after flushing the toilet. There’s a huge transfer of germs. Just think, how many people touch your phone and where you put your phone. Where have those peoples’ hands been? You also put your phone near your face; you would have e.coli and fecal matter touching your phone. Sanitize your phone and keep it away from the bathroom. Maybe we won’t hear stories of people dropping their phone in the toilet or getting water damaged in the showers, win-win for everyone.
Just leave it the way you found after it’s cleaned and protect yourself and others from illness before something spread throughout the whole school. Keep it classy, keep it safe.
Knock, Knock! Who’s there?
I have toop
I have toop who?
You have to POO? Well, go to the bathroom, then!