The North Park Student Newspaper Since 2023
Stop asking for pencils
SOUTH STAR
Thu Le
6/11/20262 min read
Everyday, without fail the same cycle repeats itself: the bell rings, the lesson begins, and students arrive equipped with their phones, laptops, and airpods. Despite carrying around hundreds of dollars worth of technology, almost instantaneously, in unison the first thing that students do is turn to the person they have never even said hi to the whole semester and say the same 5 words: “do you have a pencil?”
Suddenly, the person who hasn’t even had the common courtesy to greet a fellow student since September has decided that there are no introductions needed and even a greeting is unnecessary; since apparently, according to the extensive research that was conducted across my 3 years of high school, the best and easiest way to make friends isn’t through conversations, mutual interests or shared experiences, but to simply ask everyone you see for a pencil, during the most important lesson of the entire course.
The important question really arises; how are some able to remember their phone, charger, headphones, laptop and owala water bottles but unable to remember to bring a pencil even after asking for one every single day?
Of course, some may point out that my pencil case is indeed full of multiple other pencils. However, studies has shown that the return rate of loaned out pencils is incredibly low; the last five times I decided to give someone a pencil, I never saw it ever again until the end of the school year, when it’s all chewed up and the eraser is ripped off, so no you cannot have a pencil and the answer will always be no.
Ultimately, this article isn’t about pencils; rather it’s about the fact that even after years of education, countless reminders, requests, and trips to Bramalea City Center, some students still arrive unprepared, expecting others to solve the problem for them.
Until us, the people stand up and rebel to this issue refusing to give up our pencils, this problem will only perpetuate itself.
So, speaking for the people, with all due respect, stop asking for pencils.
(The average pencil costs $0.25 to $0.50 CAD)