My heart was pounding, pounding in my chest—escalating, accelerating. Too fast. My vision blurred, and I could feel myself shaking. My whole body felt hot, like it was on fire, and I couldn’t form a coherent thought to save my life.

I rushed into the hallway and looked around, terrified. I didn’t know what to do. While I was scared of strangers seeing me in this state, I was also scared of people I did know seeing me. I couldn’t handle having somebody near me, let alone talking to me.

I ended up hiding in the second floor bathroom for twenty minutes, locked in a stall, standing straight up, trying desperately to calm myself down.

I don’t have panic attacks at school regularly, but when I do, I don’t know where to go to calm myself down. I try to go to my counselor, but the times I’ve gone and she hasn’t been there, it’s made everything worse. I’ve felt like my one chance at finding a safe place has been ripped away.

Because panic attacks require time and space for the person to calm down, administrators should work with teachers to create a list of open, staffed classrooms that will serve as a safe space for students experiencing anxiety or having a panic attack to go to when they feel overwhelmed.

Resource counselor Kari Wislar could reach out to teachers to ask who would be willing to open their classrooms during planning or lunch periods. Counselors could then share this list with students they know have anxiety or panic attacks, or post the list on a wall in the counseling office so the classrooms are easily accessible by any student who finds themselves in need.

While Wislar said she would prefer for students to talk to a different counselor if theirs isn’t available, she agrees that there should be a safe place for students to go. To ensure the system wouldn’t be abused and to secure student safety, students could be required to check-in with a counselor, or have the teacher hosting them send them an email.

Counselors and administration support the idea. Both Wislar and principal Alan Goodwin said they would be open to help create the system for next year, and about a dozen teachers have already expressed interest in being part of the program.

No other student should have to stand in a cramped, dirty bathroom stall, or stand outside their counselor’s office, with their whole body shaking as they struggle to take a breath. Mental health problems are increasing across all grades—ensuring that students in crisis always have a safe space would be a good step in the right direction for supporting these students.