THE HELPLESS WALLS
It is said that, ‘walls have ears’ but its hard to believe that today they even have ‘mouths’ . The toilet walls in every school in Bhutan are scribbled with words and pictures of all kinds, which make them, speak.
The first thing that the newcomers experience in their first day at school, is the difference in rules and regulations, environment and the feelings. However, one thing remains the same. The Toilet Walls.
No surprise! The toilet walls always remain the same. They are scribbled with dirty words, filthy pictures and used to express aggressive feelings. The true nature of a wall, which is to be clean, is never maintained.
The change in the time has also led to many changes on the toilet walls. They are not ordinary walls as students refer them with different names now. Some call it “slam wall” because the walls are filled with bio-data and criticizing words just like in a slam book. Others call it “wall net” derived from internet since one can find information like contact numbers, addresses and so on. Since it is also filled with warnings like “BECAREFUL, WATCH OUT….”they call it “warning wall.” Some words are so demeaning that you doubt whether it was really written by a student.
Though knowing the impacts and consequences, the toilet walls are always scribbled. A frowning face coming out of the toilet is not a new sight. Mentally disturbed and moods switched off it also lead to loss of concentration in the class. Moreover, sometimes it leads to many problems like fighting, misunderstanding and hatred.
According to the rules and regulations, scribbling on the toilet walls is strictly prohibited. But hardly few abide by it. It is mostly the boys who pour out their thoughts on the helpless wall.
Then, will the helpless walls always remain helpless? If the ones who write cannot stop, at least they can strive to minimize it. Creating awareness can help change their notion and decrease the act. We can individually inculcate a habit to rub those nasty words and pictures, and replace them with useful, educative, inspiring and innovative phrases.
It should be reminded that men lie at the zenith of evolutionary chain. We consider ourselves to be civilized and advanced. But how many of us act according to it? Therefore, it is high time we stop acting like barbarians and behave more like civilized students. And let these helpless walls live a life of a wall.
Contributed by;
Milan Rai
Lobzang Dawa
Tshering Yangden
students PHSS 2009
editor - Sonam Choden (student)
The first thing that the newcomers experience in their first day at school, is the difference in rules and regulations, environment and the feelings. However, one thing remains the same. The Toilet Walls.
No surprise! The toilet walls always remain the same. They are scribbled with dirty words, filthy pictures and used to express aggressive feelings. The true nature of a wall, which is to be clean, is never maintained.
The change in the time has also led to many changes on the toilet walls. They are not ordinary walls as students refer them with different names now. Some call it “slam wall” because the walls are filled with bio-data and criticizing words just like in a slam book. Others call it “wall net” derived from internet since one can find information like contact numbers, addresses and so on. Since it is also filled with warnings like “BECAREFUL, WATCH OUT….”they call it “warning wall.” Some words are so demeaning that you doubt whether it was really written by a student.
Though knowing the impacts and consequences, the toilet walls are always scribbled. A frowning face coming out of the toilet is not a new sight. Mentally disturbed and moods switched off it also lead to loss of concentration in the class. Moreover, sometimes it leads to many problems like fighting, misunderstanding and hatred.
According to the rules and regulations, scribbling on the toilet walls is strictly prohibited. But hardly few abide by it. It is mostly the boys who pour out their thoughts on the helpless wall.
Then, will the helpless walls always remain helpless? If the ones who write cannot stop, at least they can strive to minimize it. Creating awareness can help change their notion and decrease the act. We can individually inculcate a habit to rub those nasty words and pictures, and replace them with useful, educative, inspiring and innovative phrases.
It should be reminded that men lie at the zenith of evolutionary chain. We consider ourselves to be civilized and advanced. But how many of us act according to it? Therefore, it is high time we stop acting like barbarians and behave more like civilized students. And let these helpless walls live a life of a wall.
Contributed by;
Milan Rai
Lobzang Dawa
Tshering Yangden
students PHSS 2009
editor - Sonam Choden (student)
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