It goes on to say students should contact school authorities and if this inappropriate act continues, surveillance cameras will be installed.
“I heard someone has been purposely vomiting all over the toilet for more than a year,” said Ryu Hae-jin (’04, Korean) who put up notices in toilets after seeing a toilet stall messed up with vomit after the Chuseok holidays. “I had only heard rumors but when I saw it for myself, I felt the need to alert students by putting up posters in the toilets.”
Ryu said she sometimes feels students should know better and remember basic etiquettes when using a public bathroom.
She is not alone. An overuse of toilet paper and piles of food garbage, especially during exam periods, is an unpleasant challenge in maintaining clean bathrooms. The two bathrooms located near the reading rooms in the ECC are out of control during exam periods, according to the ECC janitors.
Han Bo-ram (English, 2) was shocked to see overpiled toilet trash bins during the exam period.
“It looked so messy and was really discomforting,” Han said. “I think students should put only toilet papers into trash bins and other garbage into bins located just outside the toilet. It’s the students who feel uncomfortable if they are dirty.”
Han also mentioned that during exam periods the trash bins should be emptied more often. According to one of the janitors who clean the ECC toilets, janitor Yoo, trash bins are emptied as soon as they are filled, however it’s hard to keep up with all the other garbage.
Janitors check up bathrooms four times each day and clean whatever is necessary.
Janitors said the overuse of toilet papers which is 500 meters long nullifies their efforts. They said they refill as many as eight rolls of toilet papers per day for each toilet.
“As students use a lot of toilet papers, we have to refill frequently,” janitor Yoo said.
Furthermore, improper disposal of used sanitary pads create a very unpleasant scene.
“I feel shameful as a woman to see pads lying on the floor or on the toilet unfolded,” Ji Hyang-eun (Computer Communication Information, 3) said. “I think students should put the used sanitary pads in the trash bin folded for other students’ sake. I also think there is a need to put a notice,” Ji said.
According to janitor Kim, since sanitary pads stick to the trash bin easily and are hard to take out, students should take time in properly throw them away.
“Pads should be rolled up and thrown away. It looks really bad when pads are left unrolled. Also, it makes us hard to clean the trash bin,” janitor Yoo said.
The unpleasant fumes from smoking is another problem.
As smoking is banned within the ECC, smokers seek “public places” to smoke. However, this means non-smokers end up second-hand smoking in public toilets.
Shin Jung-ah (International Studies, 2) was frustrated when she smelt cigarette smoke in the toilet near the third floor of the ECC.
“I really hate cigarette smoke,” Shin said. “The ECC also has a really bad ventilation system students so should really avoid smoking inside the bathrooms.”