Imagine yourself taking a leisurely stroll down the hallway, as you see the sign that says “bathroom”. Being a naturally curious soul, you pull open the door and walk inside. Everything is fine and dandy, when all of a sudden the lights go black. With a mild shriek, you nervously look around, trying to discover who or what turned off the lights. To your surprise, there is no one there. That stroll turns now into a brisk walk as you wash your hands hurriedly, and book it out of there. Questions then emerge as you return into the light hallway: Was it a ghost? Is the school haunted? Did someone turn off the lights? Why is this happening to me?

Sadly, it is none of those things. It is a much less enchanting tale, but just as important. As the lights turn on and off, it is in order to save electricity. As lame as it sounds, just by turning off the lights in times of inactivity, the new school will conserve electricity. By running the lights when they are not being directly used, it is slowly ruining the environment. As energy needed by the bulbs may produce the light, a lot of excess is coming off as heat, even in the most efficient bulbs. Even if you do not care one bit about the environment, it is also saving the school money, as there is no real point to run the lights when no one is in a room, or natural light is sufficient.

So when looking at yourself in the mirror or in sitting in class and the lights turn off or dim, do not be alarmed. Even though the lights may not turn back on immediately, no matter how much you jump or wave or prove movement, it will be okay. As inconvenient as it is, money and the environment has proved superior to immediate comfort and sanity of students.