Picture this: you walk into your residential hall bathroom around 7 a.m. as you mentally prepare for your dreaded 8 a.m. class. You open the stall door to find that someone has projectile vomited all over the toilet seat, handle, floor and even five feet up the wall. You wonder how that last part is even possible as you confusedly decide to use the family bathroom on a different floor.
This scenario happened to me three weeks ago and again two days before I wrote this column. It prompted me to argue for the appreciation of the cleaning staff at Ohio University, who are truly phenomenal. They have to put up with so much from the students living in residential buildings at OU.
The first time I had the lovely experience of interacting with the staff in my hall was my first week on campus (for reference, I live in Biddle Hall on East Green). I was stumbling down the hallway trying to recover from a rough night when I was greeted with a warm smile from a staff member and a "Good morning," I desperately needed. I saw the same staff member taking a morning smoke on the bench later that morning and thought, "Wow, if I had to clean up after the monsters that pollute our bathrooms, I would need more than a cigarette."
I'm joking, but in all honesty, college students are disgusting and the staff has to do a lot to maintain a clean residence hall. When you think about it, they get up super early to take out the hall's trash and recycling, wipe down bathrooms that have seen warfare and vacuum any and everything else. They do this all while never really getting a thanks from us perpetrators of said messes.
If I had gone through that experience at 8 a.m., I would have given that hall's residents a stern talk about how to use a toilet. Don't even get me started on pay because whatever it is should be doubled and include a stock option. Cleaning is one of the most underappreciated jobs and the people who do it are the true heroes of our time.
The next time you see one of the lovely staff members here at OU, pause and think about the column you read by this guy named Drew about how they deserve more appreciation. If you're feeling extra appreciative, coordinate a nice gesture with the people on your floor. Maybe even slide them a $20 bill in a handshake like a sly businessman.
Drew is a freshman studying communications at Ohio University. Please note that the opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect those of The Post. Want to Talk to Drew about his article? Tweet him @haughn_drew24.
