Today, I will attempt to express three years of frustration in one sentence:
Classroom etiquette at the U sucks–There!
I’ve often wondered how otherwise well-educated people can have so little social sense–I guess we don’t offer a class in respect.
Consider this a start. Share this list of classroom don’ts with the clueless, or just plain rude, among you:
1. In a lecture hall, fill in the middle seats first! This bugs the @#$% out of me.
A room full of college students, and no one can figure out how much easier life would be if the first people to sit down would move to the center.
“But no–I got here first so I am going to sit in the last damn seat in the room and scowl as people shuffle past me to sit down.”
Those people deserve to have to dodge the asses shuffling past their faces.
2. Don’t put your stuff away until class is over and the professor has stopped speaking! Why can’t people stop jumping the gun? It must be that extra 30 seconds they save by putting stuff away early–silly me!
3. Don’t include your life story with every question or comment you make.
“Well, my dad is a lawyer, so I know…” Also, don’t spout out irrelevant facts and big words that don’t fit the context of the conversation just because you think you sound smart, “Well, in colonial America….” Please realize, people are laughing at you.
4. Turn off your phone and for God’s sake, don’t answer it. I know it is hard to believe, but someone in one of my classes actually answered his cell phone in class and started talking. I don’t think it is possible to be more rude–you win today, buddy.
5. Students in class are there to listen to the professor, not you. Can everyone live under the assumption that the professor knows more than we do? There are better ways to spend class time than questioning every little thing the professor says because you think you are brilliant. I am not trying to kiss ass here, it really is annoying.
6. Pay attention to student presentations–no matter how boring they are. I’m in a classroom with computers and people sit and check their e-mail while other students present their work–no way to make friends.
7. Stop showing up to class late all the time. I’m writing this one because I’m guilty as charged, but I’m trying! Seriously, though, what’s the point of going to a 50- minute class 30 minutes late?
8. Plagiarism is nothing less than a lack of integrity. “He’ll never know if I get my paper from the Internet.” Why are people like that in school anyway?
9. This last one is personal–don’t leave lapel pins on seats. Pulling a gold pin with “Excellence” written on it out of your ass is no way to start the day.