[dimoxyel]

Things You Can Do To Make Everyone's Life Easier

By Karen Lamb, MacInsiders

I'm only a first year here, but in the two weeks that I've spent on campus so far, I've already noticed a few little things that, if done differently, could make everyone's life just a little bit easier. SO, I've compiled a small list (which you are free to add to)...

NUMBER ONE - WAIT OUTSIDE
Its #:15 AM/PM, and the students that have the next class have already begun jamming themselves into the hallway or lobby adjacent to the lecture hall, leaving little room for through-traffic, let alone outcoming traffic. When the previous class lets out, progress is slow, as one by one they push their way through the crowd, which is simultaneously trying to enter the room.

The faster the previous class can get OUT of the room, the sooner the next class can get INTO the room. If the incoming class waits further away from the doors and leaves enough room for people to get through, they can clear out and be on their way that much faster. Plus, some of these outcoming students may have another class immediately after. While you have ten minutes to get from the hall to inside the room, they have ten minutes to get all the way across campus. How would you feel if you were rushing to get from TSH to ITB, and you couldn't even get out the door due to the number of people? Be kind - Stand outside.

NUMBER TWO - MOVE TO THE MIDDLE
Unless the other party is exceptionally attractive, nobody likes the lap-jumping process that preceeds every lecture. It is awkward for both the already-seated person and the jumper, who is simply looking for a seat. When you enter the lecture hall, move as close to the middle of your row as possible, filling the row from the middle outwards, and leave the empty seats towards the outside. This results in much less lap-leaping, backpack-smacking and apologizing, as well as an easier and faster sit-down time for all. The classes are generally packed - Even if you're shy or antisocial, you'll still end up sitting right between two people anyway. If you move to the middle to begin with, it just means they don't have to sit on you first.

NUMBER THREE - DON'T WALK-BLOCK
Not a huge issue, but still notable. Talking with your friends on the way to class is all well and good, but when there's four of you walking shoulder-to-shoulder at a slow pace, it can be very frustrating for people behind you. Please, either pull over to somewhere with less traffic, or bunch yourselves together and make room. Its also helpful to walk on the right side of the sidewalk, and leave the left side for oncoming traffic, as you would on the road, but that's maybe a bit too George-Orwell's-1984 to be mentioned here, and sometimes it isn't an option.

NUMBER FOUR - LISTEN OR LEAVE
Again, not a huge issue, but this one really bothers me - People who talk during lectures. Early this morning, a guy behind me kept making wisecracks about the material and complaining that the prof was wasting our time - Quietly enough that the prof couldn't hear, but not so quietly that I could ignore it. Thankfully, he eventually stopped talking, but I was about ready to snap at him. Quietly asking someone about the material is all well and good (ie "What does he mean by that?" or "I can't read that word there - What does it say?") but beyond that, either pay attention or walk out. If you're just there to chat, complain, or otherwise not pay attention, you obviously don't care about the class at all, and you're serving only to disrupt the people around you. I would suggest that, since you're paying for the class, you take the first option. Respect both your fellow students and your professor, and save the conversations for later.

[kokosas]

Hear hear!
Great article! These are all things that really get on my nerves, the only thing I would add is don't do the whole "oh hey! I haven't seen you in TWO WHOLE DAYS! Lets stop in the middle of the student center during class change while everyone is rushing so we can catch up."

Don't do it people, I will tell you off, I don't care if you're on your cell phone or talking to someone you haven't seen all summer. It's plain rude.

[EmilySusie]

I notice these things everyday. People who walk in groups usually take up way more room than they have to and walk a lot slower than people who are on their own. I am constantly saying "excuse me!" to try to get by everyone, especially the people who decide to stop in the middle of a hallway or doorway to talk to someone. It's really not that hard, all you have to do is be considerate of the people around you.

[thedog123123]

thank god for this article. I'm a fast walker and I HATE when people are talking and taking their time walking on the sidewalks (blocking it). bugged me so much one day last week that i just walked right into them. Ya and that lecture hall thing is good, last week for one my classes people from my class were trying to walk into the lecture hall while the other class was leaving but I blocked my class so the other one could leave.

[sinthusized]

This is another thing... I hate when people save seats... Yesterday in Physics, there seemed to be no seats except in the front row, so I go sit down and the girl beside me said "Excuse, me that seat is saved" and so I said "o ok" and eventually, I found another seat that just so happened to have an excellent view of the seat I originally tried to take. Anyways, no one ended up sitting in her seat except for her f*cking TNA bag. That was annoying and dumb, I think that if you are late, you should just get whatever seat is available. Besides, like it was said above, lecture is to listen, not chat up friends...

ANYWAYS, I observed this on the GO BUS also and a girl was saving a seat (with another TNA bag) and another girl asked if she could sit there. The girl said no and that she was saving a spot for someone at the next stop... which was 20 minutes away... The girl who was not seated said "o ok" and stood for the whole trip.

[caroline54]

the same thing happened to me on the GO bus! i asked to sit beside the girl, and she said she was saving the seat for someone .. meanwhile there were already people standing on the bus, but she wouldnt give up that seat.

on the bus, it also drives me nuts when people will sit on the aisle seat on purpose so that no one will sit beside them. or, if they will keep their bag on the seat next to them and pretend they are sleeping or something so that no one will sit next to them...drives me crazy!!

[kokosas]

Originally Posted by caroline54

the same thing happened to me on the GO bus! i asked to sit beside the girl, and she said she was saving the seat for someone .. meanwhile there were already people standing on the bus, but she wouldnt give up that seat.

on the bus, it also drives me nuts when people will sit on the aisle seat on purpose so that no one will sit beside them. or, if they will keep their bag on the seat next to them and pretend they are sleeping or something so that no one will sit next to them...drives me crazy!!

That's when you say "I'm sorry, but I paid for a seat on this bus and if your friend is late then that is their problem but I can either sit on your shit or you can move it, your choice."

[BHChew]

What you've written are probably things that most of us have been silently annoyed by. Nice post.

However regarding #2 - Move to the middle. I'm left handed. Yes, lefties only make up 10% of the population, but we also have to sit on the ends where the lefty tables usually are. It's just as much annoying for me to get up to let people by as I'm sure it is for those trying to find a seat. For some classes I'll end up sitting with friends or sitting somewhere else because I didn't arrive early..but most times it's not worth the awkwardness of scribbling on the right-hand tables.

So to all people that hop over me before every class..I'm still going to sit on the end. Sorry.

[Mansoor]

I do not give to sh!ts if somone is saving a seat for their friend. I just give them a hard stare and sit down. I must admit though that sometimes i swear too, but i apologize after if that is the case.

[dimoxyel]

Originally Posted by BHChew

What you've written are probably things that most of us have been silently annoyed by. Nice post.

However regarding #2 - Move to the middle. I'm left handed. Yes, lefties only make up 10% of the population, but we also have to sit on the ends where the lefty tables usually are. It's just as much annoying for me to get up to let people by as I'm sure it is for those trying to find a seat. For some classes I'll end up sitting with friends or sitting somewhere else because I didn't arrive early..but most times it's not worth the awkwardness of scribbling on the right-hand tables.

So to all people that hop over me before every class..I'm still going to sit on the end. Sorry.

Heyo! Thanks for the comment! I actually did mean to leave in a note in #2 about "Unless you prefer the left-handed desks" - Guess I pulled it out when I tried to make the article shorter. But I was definitely thinking it! And people on the ends aren't so much of a problem anyway, especially since some of them may have another class right after - Its more the people who leave one seat open about eight taken-seats into the row.

[summer]

I have often told people who chat in class (one of my BIGGEST pet peeves): "Hey, I'm sorry, I'm having a hard time hearing him, can you guys please keep it down? Thanks! *insert fake smile*" or, if I'm feeling aggressive, "My tuition is paying Dr. Lecturer to speak, not you."

On another note, I always take the aisle seat, even though I am not left-handed, but its because i have this weird anxiety thing about sitting in the middle. I can't explain it. I even ask for the aisle seats on planes. I know its a pain in the ass for people trying to move in, so I try my best to make myself as small as possible ie. scrunchng my legs up onto the seat, or standing up and moving into the aisle, coz I know I'm making their life harder and I feel bad about it. I AM sorry about it, I just have to do it :S

But great article!

[summer]

I should also mention, I make it a point to not take the lefties' aisle seats

[dimoxyel]

Okay, today was just bad. Not only would the two people sitting to my left not stop complaining about the class, but the guy to my right was playing a VIDEO GAME. When I asked him why he bothered coming if he was just going to play video games, he glared and said "What do you care?". Instead of telling him it was disrespectful, distracting, and altogether ridiculous, since he was paying for the class, I told him he could be much more comfortable elsewhere. He just went back to playing his game. Which he continued to play for the whole class until his laptop battery ran low... At which point he spent the rest of the class staring at the floor.

Wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself.

[Afzal]

just felt like I had to bump this one....just in case we all face these problems (or if they are caused by one of us)

[manaya]

Awesome article !!! We all have seen/experienced or done some of this stuff one time or another. Helps u get other's perspectives! Good job =)