Rain. A type of weather that seems to feel like everyone’s favorite here at Canyon Hills High School.

   I mean, why wouldn’t it be? Unlike sunny weather that’s bright and fun all the time, rain simply gives water to the grass (that doesn’t receive water already from the overdone sprinkler system) and adds to our learning with distracting tapping against the windows and giant puddles in our hallways that makes everybody crowd up into one clump, making it impossible to get anywhere. 

   It feels almost entirely impossible to survive without help sometimes. 

  Since school embodies Wednesday Addams’ philosophy of “kill or be killed,” I am going to give you a survival guide on how to properly deal with the rain here at CHHS. 

   Step 1: Getting to School

   The most important part of setting up success for a school day: getting there. When it comes to getting school in the rain, there isn’t automatically a best option, so it’s up to your own personal preference when it comes down to choosing. 

   Driving is extra dangerous in the rain, as it blocks the already impeccable vision of drivers, walking grants a higher risk of slipping and getting soaked as well as being blown away by strong winds while using an umbrella, and taking the bus is just as awful as ever. 

   Realistically, the best option would be to stay home, or walk and hope a car hits you and saves yourself from the rain. But since that does not get the step complete, there is no official best choice. Decide yourself.

   Step 2: Getting to First Period

   Once you get to school (most likely late and saying it happened due to the rain), you need to head to your first class. However, if you’re already late, there’s no point in rushing to class. Here are a list of things to do while “slowly” making your way over to class:

• Jump in giant puddles (Let out your inner Peppa Pig!)
• Get mud all over your shoes (The hallways will thank you!)
• Talk to your fellow peers not in class (Why be in class away from the rain when you can be outside, enjoying nature’s shine?)

   On the other hand, if you are a responsible student who *must* get to class on time or else you’ll die, here’s a list for you:

• Slip while running into a puddle (Show your level of responsibility by running to class and getting there on time completely soaked!)
• Get mud all over your shoes (Again, the hallways will thank you!)
• Yell at your peers and shove them out of the way into puddles (Why be nice to those not being responsible in the rain?)

   Completing these lists are not fully necessary, but to some, they are essential for living their lives while it’s raining. Regardless of what list has been assigned to you, it’s still important to go to class, so make sure you do.

   Step 3: Leaving the Hallway

   The scariest part of leaving a class: going to the next one. This fear has been known to consume students at CHHS, leaving everyone to crowd and cower in the hallways during passing periods in order to avoid facing their fear. In the rain, this is only amplified, as people only crowd indoors instead of both indoors and outdoors. 

   Unfortunately, this is a problem that even the best of the best have to deal with. 

   Since it’s a real struggle out there, here are some tips I have for when this situation inevitably occurs:

• Scare your peers by yelling at them (They will eventually move out of fear).
• Don’t walk, run out of the hallway (You will humiliate yourself, but you will get out of there).
• Hang in there while the crowd is horrific (It will be okay, most people survive). 

   Only the bravest can survive the battle. I wish you luck. 

   Step 4: Lunch

   After surviving the first three periods, there will be a new challenge: lunch. Lunchtime is the favorite time of day at CHHS. With the amount of students the school has, however, it can be tough to find a place to sit, even on a sunny day. 

   My advice for you is to either hide within a large group of people (they won’t notice you if there’s enough of them) or duck in one of the building hallways and wait it out. But in reality, it doesn’t matter what you do. As long as you avoid dumping wet food on the concrete and stepping on empty chocolate milk containers, you will be fine. 

   Step 5: Fourth Period

   Going to fourth period is similar to getting to first period, except there’s a crowd to fight, and a bigger pressure for time. Trying to push past a crowd to not be late to a class where you have a rare opportunity to go early is stressful. 

   When it comes to getting to fourth period, it’s either get there early or get there late; there is no sense of being on time. This is only amplified during the rain, when more tardies occur because people are eager to beat the rain but end up not doing anything.

   Here, your options are to either swallow your pride and get to class early, or be almost swallowed by the crowd and get to class late. What will you choose?

   Step 6: Leaving School

   Everyone’s favorite part of the day: leaving school. On a normal day, leaving CHHS can be difficult depending on what gate someone is leaving from, due to the large numbers of people that leave each gate. 

   However, when it is raining, no one wants to stand around with their friends outside. So, feel free to run outside (after leaving the crowded hallways) into the parking lot of your choosing and dance around the cars. There is not much of a crowd to stop you (unless you leave a gate immediately. There, everyone is rushing for shelter and will shove you into a puddle so they can find it). 

   Step 7: You’re Free!

   Give yourself a pat on the back the minute you leave the gates: you survived!

   Rain at CHHS is a challenge, but it is doable. However, that doesn’t mean everyone is cut out to complete the challenge. Only the greatest of the great can survive, but stepping outside of the gates at 3:30 pm means you made it. You survived the great war.

   I hope this survival guide was helpful to you. Rain may be a battleground, but persistence can help you win the fight. There’s no better feeling than leaving school after a long, rainy day and surviving without slipping or being pushed into too many puddles.