It’s a chilly Monday morning and you’re running down the street to catch the bus- you’ve got an English presentation today and you’re already a little nervous. All of a sudden, you realize you’ve forgotten your mask at home. You sigh and turn around. You can’t go to school without one, let alone get on the bus.

Sophomore Rimona Zhang, who rides the bus home in the afternoons, added that the seating charts are “probably enforced because of how crowded it can get. When everyone is on the bus, there are only a few two seaters left with only one person sitting in them.”

One might think that there would be less students taking the bus this year in fear of the virus, but it seems that the buses are still as filled as ever. When asked about the hustle and bustle and confusion over bus zones on the first few days of school, Mr. Petronko said: “The first few days of school can be challenging for students. Teachers and administrators have a list of bus numbers and locations and actively assist students to help find their proper bus, but by week two of school things run pretty smoothly.”

Senior Ananya Chandrasekhar shuddered as she reminisced on her sophomore year, adding that she couldn’t imagine having to ride the bus this year, “I’m really thankful that I can drive to school this year and eat my breakfast peacefully and not have to rush to catch a bus. It was always pretty crowded on my bus and I can’t imagine being crammed in there again and then having to wear a mask.”

According to sophomore Joey Gonzalez though, “The bus is very quiet, not too chaotic. It’s not too much of a hassle, and my bus driver is really nice.” `

Although students have different feelings about transportation and the bus system at EBHS, it’s important to remember our responsibility to keep each other safe and healthy. Don’t forget to buckle your seatbelt- and don’t forget to wear your mask either.