N.C. STATE The ‘shake and squat’ philosophy of life
T
he toilet paper roll hung from the wall, emaciated and empty. I really did not want to do the “squat and shake,” but I was alone, and that was what it was going to come to. Many important lessons were learned in the classrooms of West, but for me, the most important lessons were learned in a bathroom stall. A couple of months ago, I rushed into the bathroom beside Teresa Davis’s classroom. I know how important it is to stay hydrated, and I also know the effect of chugging a 32 oz. water bottle in order to keep oneself awake through class. Unaware of the dire situation I was about to put myself in, I entered the first stall, sat and let out a sigh of relief. Then looking left, disappointment wrapped itself around me. An empty toilet paper roll greeted me. Just as I had reached a level of mental preparedness to squat and shake, footsteps sounded off the restroom tile and I knew that help had arrived. “Excuse me,” I said. “Would you mind handing me some toilet paper?” My request was met by silence. Maybe she hadn’t heard me or wasn’t sure what I had said, so I decided to speak a little louder and ask once again.
08 | senior editorials | wingspan | june 2014
“Hi, would you mind handing me a little toilet paper? My stall is completely out.” Again, the only response was the faucet that never turns off and the weird creaking of the pipes that sound like groans. I was getting mad, really mad. “Seriously,” I said, irritation dripping from my voice. “All I need is a little toilet paper.” I waited 30 more seconds before letting out an obnoxiously necessary sigh and doing the “squat and shake.” When I left my stall I washed my hands and glanced at the stall beside mine. Sure enough it was occupied. This brings me to my lesson— when someone is in need of assistance, offer your help. Seniors, as we leave the hallways of West, we are all going different directions. Some of us are joining the workforce or entering the military. Others of us are going to colleges and universities. Remember, wherever you end up, how important it is to help one another. One day you may be the person stuck in the restroom, pleading for assistance. Remember your friends, and keep those connections, but also remember the generosity that is so necessary in order for our world to function.