Getting around with an injury has ups and downs

By Cat Higgins
Charleston Catholic High School

It might have been around first or second grade when you first caught wind of the tales of the school’s “secret elevator.” The older, wiser fifth graders would gather on the playground and swap tales about it being lined in gold with plush red carpet. It was for teachers only, of course, but the coolest of the cool swore on the jungle gym that they had seen this elevator, and a few even claimed to have ridden in it.

At Charleston Catholic, the elevator is no myth, and you don’t have to be a rebel to catch a ride. You do, however, have to have a legitimate injury.

This fall, several students at Charleston Catholic (including myself) suffered sports-related leg injuries, making it problematic to get from class to class using the stairs. In cases like this, the students are allowed a coveted ride in the school’s marble elevator.

The injured student is allowed one person to ride with him or her, which can sometimes cause slight altercations between their friends. Arguments may break out, and at the end of classes, you might find kids rushing for your backpack and fighting over who will carry it.

“Sometimes it seemed like some people wanted to help me just to get a free ride on the elevator,” said junior Aidan Kim, who sprained her ankle near the end of the volleyball season and was on crutches for about a week.

Though some people only want to help for the free ride, others genuinely want to lend a hand. “It was really nice to know my friends were there to step in and help me,” Kim said. “Without them, I would’ve pretty much died.”

The elevator is really the only perk of having an injury at school. Otherwise, there are many obstacles with which you must deal.

First, there is the task of maneuvering around the crowded hallways on crutches. This is especially tricky at Charleston Catholic in the freshman hallway, where large groups of laughing students seem to form in the middle and will engulf you if you’re not careful.

You also have to beware of couples who are flirting because this is a serious hazard. They are distracted and unaware that somebody on crutches is passing by, so when they play fight, they can very easily run right into you and knock you off your balance.

Because of these dangers, you can’t let yourself get distracted while in the school hallways. Always keep your eyes forward and focus on what you’re doing instead of talking to your friend who’s walking behind you or checking out your crush as you hobble by.

After all, think how embarrassing it would be to trip and fall right in front of him or her. Plus, this would not bode well for your recovery rate.

Perhaps the worst thing of all about having an injury, though, is the frustration it causes by having to put the things you love to do on hold.

“I stepped in a ditch when I was playing in a soccer tournament and got a crack in my growth plate on my ankle,” said Charleston Catholic seventh grader Taylor Erskine. “I missed three weeks of basketball, and when I got my cast off, I still have to wait another two weeks [before I could play]. I hated watching everybody running and [practicing] when I couldn’t.”

Dealing with this frustration can be hard, but it helps shape your character. Sure, injuries are no fun, but with a couple of good friends and a positive attitude, you can ease the frustration and make them more tolerable. Oh yeah, the elevator helps, too!