724?
Uni High’s (In)Famous Room of Mystery: Does it Really Exist?
Anne White
Most of us have had classes in it at some point, and some of the lucky ones make the trip up to it on the regular. I’m sure you’ve heard of it, because almost everyone I’ve asked about it has some spooky story to tell about it. You already know, the famous, the mysterious, the very confusing,,,, 724!! I’m not really convinced it exists, but y’know, each to their own.
724 is probably the hardest classroom to get to. I conducted a survey asking students about 724, and it was rated a 2/5 on how easy it is to get there. 90.6% said that if they were a new student, they’d be unlikely to find it in the time given between classes.
For you losers who’ve never had a class there, it’s through the dramatic, tough-looking doors at the end of the 700s. The 700s are locked off at the moment though, so anyone who is new to the school has no idea what I’m talking about. Another way to find it (although there are many) is by walking down the sketchy alley between GTAC and the library, and up the spooky stairs on the right. It’s on the third floor. You then enter a strange threshold, which is very much under construction. Through the doors and into another, nicer looking threshold. This one has four options. On your left, the staff toilets. Straight ahead goes through to GTAC. Another door reads “EMNAR ROOM 24”. That’s 724. (The 4th option is the fire hose cupboard.) I have mixed views on the thresholds, but they’re waaay too small to wait around in for class with a bunch of scary year 11s. (Sorry year 11s. You’re very intimidating.) Anyway, I think that’s the most efficient way to get there, and around 67% of people responding to my survey agree.
The most common question I got from the survey was “Is it in Uni High or GTAC?”. And that’s a tricky one. I’m pretty sure it’s on the premises of GTAC, hence the heavy doors, weird thresholds, and different interior design. It also appears to be in the GTAC building from the bird’s eye view on Google Maps. However, it’s treated as part of Uni High and there seems to be no problem with the school having regular classes there. I have no idea who actually owns it, but I think it’s at least an honorary Uni High classroom. (We do need the extra room.)
Another question that was asked a lot was “Why is it the only classroom in the 700s that is accessible?” Which surprised me a little, but to be fair, the 700s have been off-limits for two years now, so there’s got to be a fair portion of students who’ve never been there (weird). Because of 724’s geographical isolation, it wasn’t burnt down with the rest of the 700s in a fire during the 2020-21 summer holidays. One person asked another really good question- “Is there a 600s equivalent?” Yes, actually! It isn’t much like 724, and is more part of GTAC, but there is a classroom there. There are some weird shaped windows on the GTAC building that you can see from the oval, and they look right into that classroom.
As for my opinions on 724: I love it. I used to have German classes there in year 8, and it was really exciting to discover a whole new ‘secret’ room at the end of the 700s. My favourite thing about it has got to be the furniture, which was rated a 4/5 on my survey. The tables are massive, and even the chairs seem to be a little bigger than normal. What really annoys me about a lot of the 300s classrooms is the tiny tables. They’re barely big enough to arrange a maths book and a computer. The amount of times I’ve accidentally knocked my computer off the edge is shocking. But in 724?? No way. Your computer is guaranteed to be safe, and you can pretend to do your work in blissful comfort.
Another thing I love about it is how much of an urban legend it is around here. Everyone has a different highly specific opinion on what it smells like, which is the funniest thing. (Personally, I’m team carpet glue and lint.) I got a lot of funny responses to the scent question on my survey- here are some of my favourites; “funny (derogatory)” “imagine if a classroom had an expiry date” “sunshine and rainbows” and “funky bruh, weird. smells like wet dust.”
Anyway, only 57.1% of people responding to my survey were 100% sure that 724 exists, so I think some people are beginning to realise the truth in my spotless reasoning. It’s so mysterious, and although I’m 99% sure it’s a mass hallucination, it’s definitely my favourite classroom (The stairs are awful though. You’d have to have calves of steel to get up and down there often).
EXTRA SPECIAL BONUS SECTION !!!
There were also some pretty great comments about 724 generally, and here are some of those. (I'm really regretting not putting a name question in there because I can’t give the people credit for their jokes.)
“The green paper strips on the wall bemuse me.”
(Me too. They add to the general mystery I think. Does anyone know what they are or who made them?)
“Why are we still here? Just to suffer? Every night, I can feel my leg and my arm... even my fingers... the body I've lost... the comrades I've lost... won't stop hurting. It's like they're all still there.”
(A. Are you okay ??? and B. I’m so sorry for your loss, but what happens in 724, stays in 724.)
“I feel like it's the school's version of purgatory. Unrelated but anne is a very epic cool person.”
(I fully agree with these statements.)
“Truly the fever dream of classrooms”
(I think I've had several dreams featuring it. It’s in my brain now.)