We’ve all complained about the hassle of the locked doors. Walking around, it’s common to see students stuck outside in the cold, fists banging on the unexpected impasse. We’ve all been there—craving a breath of fresh air and getting more than we bargained for, looking for a shortcut to class but instead finding a dead end.

However, this common annoyance has brought out a new act of kindness in our student body: opening doors for each other. Everywhere you see students locked out, you also see kids half-jogging out of their way over to the double doors and swinging them open, even if only enough for the saved souls to grab hold and pull the door fully open.

It can be scary, sometimes, to think of the reasoning behind these locks: school shootings, invaders on campus, an air of insecurity and mistrust. School feels like a dangerous place for a lot of students, and the best solution that administration can provide is locking doors, even if it feels ineffective to some or not enough to others.

But despite its origin out of fear, or our disagreements about its value, the locked doors have brought about some of the best in Patriots: simple acts of kindness for each other, with no reward but lending a helping hand. I’m incredibly thankful to those who take those few steps out of their day to grab a door handle, help a stranger, and make Liberty just a little kinder.