“It’s not my fault that you smell!” Comments like this are what Reagan students hear yelled across the mosh pit every day as they try to fight their way to class.

The mosh pit is easily one of the most infamous parts of attending Reagan, and for good reason. The large area near the academic wing of the school where all four hallways intersect is always overcrowded with students during class changes. Some students stand in the middle of the walkway and talk to friends, and there is always that one couple who are a little too comfortable with their PDA blocking traffic.

When a huge number of teenagers are put in a tight space, chaos will naturally ensue.

Whether because of determined people who push their way through the crowd or people blocking traffic, getting through the mosh pit is always a complicated ordeal.

“People think it’s fun to play ping pong with each other,” said senior Madeline Acosta. “One time there was also this kid who just barreled through everyone.”

Students pushing others is one factor that makes traveling through the mosh pit a very frustrating part of the day for students and staff.

“It is really aggravating because people push me, and I almost fall and drop my stuff,” said sophomore Eryn Johnson.

Students only have five minutes to switch classes and sometimes travel across the whole school. The mosh pit makes this an incredibly daunting task. Students have to be constantly aware of the people around them and sometimes actively dodge others.

“Two people went for one of those weird handshakes in the middle of the hallway right in front of me, and I just ducked under,” said junior Megan Norton.

The mosh pit is not only annoying because of the shoving and the need to dodge others. Students will stand in the way and show no desire to get to class. This blocks students’ movement and makes getting to class on time far more difficult than it should be.

“I have witnessed kids not being able to move because other kids won’t move,” said freshman William Starling. “This gets really annoying because it takes up a lot of time, and I have even ended up late for class.”

Teachers also have to endure the trials and tribulations of the mosh pit. John Sobon, an English teacher at Reagan, has a classroom on the upper edge of the 400 hallway and knows the difficulties the mosh pit brings.

“Every day is a struggle with the mosh pit,” Sobon said. “I mean, the bell rings and you can’t move after about thirty seconds.”

Although it’s easiest to steer clear of the mosh pit altogether, it is sometimes impossible to avoid. According to Sobon, important teacher tasks like trying to print copies are made burdensome because of the mosh pit.

The mosh pit also raises questions of safety. There is always the possibility of getting your foot stepped on or pushed around, but COVID-19 gives the mosh pit a heightened level of risk. Being packed close with so many students is stressful and concerning for students who do not want to get sick.

“It’s more frustrating now that people are all packed together like that because everyone’s mask is below their nose,” Norton said.

The mosh pit makes class changes very frustrating, but students can take action to keep the traffic moving. They can keep any conversations they feel like they must have as short as possible and try to move with the crowd, as opposed to against it.

There are also ways to move through the mosh pit that make the process less stressful. According to junior Kaiden Brown, staying near the wall and trying to move in actual lines can be very helpful.

It is also important to note that traveling through the mosh pit isn’t the only way to get around the school.  Going outside and using the breezeway and sidewalks along the sides of the building is a great way to avoid having to travel through the mosh pit.  Students can also go from class to class using the stairwells at the end of each main hallway. It may not seem like it, but going downstairs then going back upstairs is often faster than going through the mosh pit, and it makes foot traffic move much more efficiently.

The mosh pit is undoubtedly aggravating. It causes issues with students and staff but at some point, must be accepted. It is not going to magically resolve itself overnight, so it’s important for people to just do what they can and keep on pushing.