By Claire Burnett, The Current Co-Editor-in-Chief
The blue room is one of the most iconic areas at River Hill, providing the gateway to performances in the auditorium and a popular lunch spot for seniors. Seniors who eat lunch in the blue room are in for a big surprise this week when the blue room will have all of its walls repainted to a vibrant yellow hue.
School administrators sent out an announcement on Wednesday, informing students that the color change is a celebration of the senior class and is intended to brighten the mood of the school. Every class has their own color; Freshmen have white, sophomores have navy blue, juniors have Carolina blue, and seniors have yellow/gold. It only makes sense that since seniors use the blue room every day to eat lunch, the ambiance of the room should match their class color, not the juniors’ Carolina blue.
In addition, many studies have shown that bright, warm colors like yellow can have beneficial effects on mental health. This effect is especially important for stressed seniors, who are deciding what college to go to on top of the normal heavy workload. Students have to balance a lot in their lives from school to extracurricular activities, so the yellow room is a small glimpse of hope that administrators see could relieve their stress. Instead of a drab shade of blue that darkens the room, the new yellow room aims to reflect as much sunlight as possible to create a bright atmosphere with positive energy. Also, students who walk through the yellow room every day can be enlightened with the bright colors and hopefully improve their mood between classes. Sophomore Nicholas Park described how, “I usually walk through the blue room to get from art to math. I’m happy that they’re repainting the blue room because I’m always sad thinking about math. Hopefully the yellow room will lighten the mood.”
Seniors who eat in the blue room for lunch every day have conflicting viewpoints about the change in color. Caroline Smith commented, “I don’t want them to repaint the blue room. The yellow will probably be way too bright and hurt my eyes.” However, Paul Jensen had a different opinion, adding, “I’m happy they’re changing the color. It’ll make the room much more unique than the rest of the school which is already mostly blue.” Concerned about her skin health, senior Nicole Long remarked, “I’m afraid that the yellow will reflect too much sunlight and I’ll have to wear sunscreen during lunch to prevent premature aging.”
While some students seem to be unhappy with the new changes, they will either have to find a different place to eat lunch or bring sunglasses to school because painting will begin next week. The blue room will be closed for lunch next week to allow for the paint to dry. If any daring seniors would like, they can bring a painter’s respirator mask to enjoy the vibrant yellow room. They are advised to hold their breaths if they must remove their masks to eat. After that, seniors can enjoy the new yellow room!