By now, I’m sure everyone has noticed the new carpets. They aren’t hard to miss, considering they look completely out of place at Seward High School. “They would look better at the middle school,” said Mac Turley, head custodian at Seward High, “since they’re their colors.” So what’s the deal with these psychedelic carpets? And why have they overtaken our hallways?

The staff and students of Seward High were definitely startled the first time they walked into the school at the end of summer. As they were greeted by the multi-colored carpet that now fills their hallways, some staff and students just flat-out complained. The carpets had always been one solid color, such as blue, grey, or brown. Now, they are blue, green, red, black and white all at once, which doesn’t match the color scheme of the school. Everyone has formed personal opinions about the carpet. Overall, I get the impression that they are not a favorite; although, they are quite a conversation topic at the school.

I have learned that the carpets themselves don’t necessarily bother the students. They look clean. They aren’t faded or falling apart. And after seeing them everyday for the past three weeks, the pattern kind of grows on you. It’s the fact that the new carpet means students can no longer eat in the hallways and must eat in the cafeteria that bothers them.

Most students, including myself, believed that lunch was being eaten in the cafeteria exclusively in an effort to keep the carpets clean. However, that’s only half the case. After talking with Mac and Mr.Walker, I discovered the school was going through as much as 500 trash bags a month, leading to excessive cost. Last year, students would throw the remains of their lunch away in the closest trash can, and a day later, the deteriorating food would create a nauseating stench. A janitor would have to change the trash bag out just to remove the smell, even if it wasn’t full. The school went through 20 plus trash bags a day.

But now, with everyone eating in the cafeteria, the food mess stays contained to one area. Plus, once the students are finished eating, they are not forced to stay in the cafeteria, they can wander the halls, work on schoolwork, or go shoot around in the gym.

When Mr.Walker was told the school was getting new carpets, all he heard was “new carpet” and “blue.” So his mind automatically went to the carpet in the commons. “It never occurred to me that it would be anything other than that, and I didn’t think to ask,” he commented. While interviewing Mr. Walker and Mac, I learned that both of them have had other staff members complain to them about the style of the carpet. But it’s not their fault for the bold carpet design. The school gets new carpets when the borough decides new carpet is needed — and needed they were. After 15-20 years, one can only imagine the nastiness underneath and within those old carpets.

Although Mac’s opinion about the carpets is that “it’s ugly,” one thing he is excited about is the style. It is made of carpet tiles, instead of one large roll. Meaning if a section of carpet is ruined, that part can be ripped up and a new one can be take its place. Mac is also very happy about the lack of food clean up that has to be done in the hallways this year and the number of trashbags he has to change everyday. With the cut of a janitorial position at the school, the new carpets and rules are making things much easier for the custodians we still have.

These wacky carpets are here to stay, at least for the next 15-20 years, that is. As of now, the school is going to do its best to keep them as nice as possible. Although there are mixed feelings from every student, teacher, and staff member, I believe that eventually the intense pattern won’t even be noticed anymore. New carpet was definitely needed at the school, and while it’s not what everyone was expecting, it sure looks nice and clean — for now.