Which campus restroom is the best?

When a student is on campus and busily going from class to class, the need to drop into a restroom will inevitably arise. Most students, blissfully ignorant to the varying qualities of restrooms, will simply use whichever is closest to their next lecture.

I, however, decided to seek out the top three best restrooms at Colorado Mesa University, taking into account the essentials: cleanliness, number of stalls, lighting, mirror size, wall color, sink countertops and between-class traffic.

Coming in at the third best restroom on the CMU campus is the second-floor University Center restroom. Presenting students with 15 stalls and two different niches with six sinks each, there is plenty of space and plenty of options. In addition, the low lighting is enough to see by, but not so much that it feels off-putting.

Perhaps the biggest perk of this restroom is the low traffic. I sat in a stall for ten minutes, then lingered at the sink for another 15 minutes and did not encounter another soul.

Are you tired of being poised to take that perfect mirror selfie, only to have a stranger burst into the bathroom and give you a judging side gaze as your “Mav Up” hand gesture slowly lowers in humiliation? Head over to one of these restroom’s two sink alcoves, each with two large mirrors, and snap away.

Do you need a good spot to cry? The second floor UC restroom has you covered. Pick a stall out of the long, stainless steel aisle and rest your weary head against the multicolored retro checkered tiles on the wall. The large room’s acoustics will provide the perfect lonely echo of your weeping.

Escalante Hall has a pleasing selection of three nearly identical restrooms, one on each floor. I personally recommend the first-floor restroom to avoid contact with the notorious Escalante stairs.

On the downside, the restrooms have only four stalls, most of which are very dark and set back. The acoustics of the room also makes flushing sounds a little startling.

However, each of the restrooms presents wide floor space and a gray finish on the stall doors and walls, giving off an air of luxury. The mirrors are large, and although the somewhat obnoxious white overhead lights do not do a quick selfie any favors, the unique lined patterns on the walls and shiny blue countertops make for a nice portrait aesthetic.

Best of all, this is one of a few in which being the first person to walk into the restroom for a long period of time will cause the lights to flicker on, making a visitor feel as though the restroom is announcing their arrival with a fluorescent fanfare.

Not surprisingly, the best restroom at CMU lies in the brand new Confluence Hall. It was easy to find as it sat right in front of the doors I entered through.

The most prominent feature of this restroom is the sink: a unique design has water from both automatic faucets flowing down into one drain in the center of a swanky countertop and white lights on the sink add to the modern effect. The water pressure in the faucets is also excellent. There’s nothing quite like washing one’s hands using the pinnacle of human technology.

While small at four white stalls, this restroom presents simple brown and beige tiles on the floors and walls to create an air of simplicity. Closer to the door, vibrant green and blue tiles add a different mood to the room.

Everything in this restroom felt clean, streamlined, and modern, pushing it to its well-deserved spot at number one.

Students must find the restroom that suits their own specific tastes, but according to certain criteria, some on-campus restrooms are simply better than others. Taking time to experience the finest facilities will pay off.