They neatly line the hallways of almost every floor of the school. Some are vacant, some are stuffed, some are messy,some are plain, and some are accessorized. Lockers play an essential role in almost any high schooler’s day, but students don’t pay them much mind. Here’s what they would tell you if they only had the chance, before you stuffed your backpack in and shut the door.

1. We can’t keep your secrets

An often debated topic of discussion, schools hold a legal right to search students’ lockers if need be, as the lockers are the property of the school.

2. I know where your old sneakers are

Whenever you can’t find a stray mitten or article of clothing, it almost always ends up having been in your locker the whole time. “Usually I have five sweaters in there, and just loose papers everywhere, and I tend to lose most of my belongings in here, and find them weeks later,” sophomore Sarah Murad said.

3. We’re not refrigerators.

While it would be great to have a place to store that leftover snack, you’re going to regret putting food in your locker when you’re cleaning it out the end of the year. Junior Calla Saunders imagines that if her locker could speak, its sole message to her would be that “this clementine has been here for six months!”

4. Tone it down

The creaks and slams of dozens of  lockers doors closing is an all too familiar alert that a class period or school day is over. Some schools have even eliminated lockers entirely on account of the noise they cause.

5. It’s not your birthday anymore

Lockers decorated by friends for birthdays tend to stay that way, with the wrapping paper and ribbons exuberantly stating their respective birthday wishes until the last day of school. “I have my JV tennis poster from the fall, and my birthday [decorations] from January,” freshman Emma Hills said.

6. Don’t be a stranger

Especially if you carry your backpack to classes or your locker is a little out of reach, (I hear you, third floor) it’s easy to stop relying on it to carry your extra books and belongings. This only makes your load heavier and puts more strain on your back. If you head to your locker two minutes earlier at the end of breaks, you can stop by your locker on your way to classes without being late.