In Fall 2024, Lincoln welcomed its largest freshman class since its reopening, with a total of 433 new students. The growing student body has had multiple impacts on daily school-life.

This increase in population was noted by many as class sizes grew. “In my classes last year we always had a couple of empty desks, and this year it feel like people are having to sit on the floor,” complains Morgan Siska (11).

In previous years, classes have ranged in size, but Siska mentioned how this year every single one of her classes felt “full to the brim.”

While juniors and seniors might be less affected by this, considering many of the typical classes on their schedule are upperclassmen-only, they’ve still noticed an impact. Fiona Liu (12) said, “There’s like 36 people in my APES class, and it’s hard to hear the teacher with all the conversations going on.”

Liu also talked about how this made it difficult for people to get into classes that they want, saying, “AP Psych was too full to get into, I know multiple people who wanted it but couldn’t get switched in.”

Another issue many students have mentioned was the level of heat throughout the school in the early weeks of the year. Located on the 3rd floor, ELA teacher Ms. Chapman mentioned, “My classroom got up to 88 degrees.” 

She also mentioned that she wasn’t sure if this was related to the influx of students, as higher temperatures are often an issue at the start of the school-year. Either way, Chapman did note the impact heat can have on both students and teachers, saying, “You have no energy to do anything when it’s hot.”

Juniper Detrano (11) expressed her concerns with the situation, explaining how “It felt like they weren’t really doing anything about the temperature.” She also questioned the AC system at Lincoln, saying, “It seemed like it wasn’t on or it wasn’t working.”

However the primary dilemma resulting from the increase in students isn’t the heat, but rather the jam-packed hallways.

Many students, including Detrano and senior Tt Call (12) have reported issues moving through the school, and even getting to class on time. Call admits, “I’ve been a little bit late to almost all of my classes, especially when I have to go up a bunch of stairs.”

She wasn’t the only person to bring up the staircases. When asked about the foot traffic, Ty Nyugen (9) mentioned that, “Especially in the stairways it’s really crowded and moves really slowly.” 

All three students who talked about the crowds between classes mentioned a lack of enforcement on the stair directions, with many people going up the Down stairs or down the Up stairs. These people make it difficult for those going the correct direction, with Call complaining about times where she is practically “standing still” despite her desire to get to class in a timely manner.

This presents worries in daily life as students are repeatedly inconvenienced. Detrano expressed further concerns about this issue, wondering about any potential hazards it could cause. 

As Lincoln continues to grow, we must ask if any action, such as enforcement of proper stairs and hallway etiquette, can be taken to prevent the situation from worsening. After all, effective and productive learning starts with comfort.