22 October 2019
Jade Ellis
Picture this: you are sitting in your 8 a.m. lecture on a Tuesday morning, completely zoned into what your professor is teaching, writing down notes and in an overall bubble of complete comprehension. Then, an individual walks in thirty minutes late breaking all your concentration, and not only sits directly next to you but starts eating an egg salad sandwich, making the entire classroom reek. What do you do?
Students have a right to learn in the classroom, but what happens when other students impede that right? Certain classroom etiquettes must be held in order for all students to feel like they are at their best and getting the most out of their lectures.
There are certain expectations that people should know by using some degree of common sense but since seeing as these social rules are apparently lost on some people, I thought I would list a few out.
1. Please do not cuddle or kiss your significant other during class. Public displays of affection (PDA) just makes everyone extremely uncomfortable and it is unneeded during the hour we are in class
2. I am glad you are in lecture trying to learn new things, but I am not glad that you are sitting right in front of me playing Snake.IO on your phone. That screen should practically be projected behind the professor because it seems like that is all I can look at for the rest of class.
A study conducted by the technology and research company, EAB in 2016 stated, “97% of college students are distracted by phones during class.” With that being said, if my phone is away, I am doing my part to end this distraction, please do yours as well.
3. Talking so loudly during a lecture that I cannot hear the teacher but solely your conversation is plain rude. Students are not paying upwards of about $150 per class to hear your personal stories.
Also, I am sure that many of you can wait until the teacher is done speaking before you shuffle all your papers, slam your laptop shut and zip your backpack up to leave for the day. 30 extra seconds of your attention is really not that much to ask.
4. Please, PLEASE do not bring an egg salad sandwich, or any stinky food into a lecture. The smell being emitted from that sandwich always renders my brain useless for the rest of class.
I think we can all agree that school is tough enough. So why not make it easier for each other and adhere to some rules. Let us work together to not be an annoying, distracting pain during class but instead try to learn together in community, which is why we are all here in the first place.