Ok, imagine this. You’re in a discussion-based class talking about a work of … I don’t know, say literature. Everyone around you is making the same basic clich‚ observations that barely warrant the effort of speaking, but for once in your (ok let’s be honest, this story is about me) my pathetic existence as a student, I came up with a slightly innovative, not yet voiced reflection on the reading.
The teacher looked surprised, perhaps by my ability to deviate from my normally mind numbingly stupid pattern of thought and applauded my efforts. In my euphoric state, I sort of stopped listening to the conversation, reviewing my stellar performance in my mind, but that thought process was abruptly halted when I heard a surprisingly similar theory being voiced by another member of the class.
I wasn’t really surprised, not just because I would expect people to want to steal my great ideas, but also because it happens to everyone all the time. I say it’s time to stand up to these comment vultures and put an end to this verbal thievery. It is a common classroom courtesy that people just ignore in order to elicit praise and the hope of a higher grade from the professor. But the truth is, we’re in college now, and big boys and girls need to learn to think for themselves.
There is, in fact a certain set of rules for classroom etiquette, which most people choose to ignore. One frequently violated tenet of these unspoken regulations is the quiet rule. Everyone talks in class at one time or another. But what’s really annoying is Sir and Lady Chatsalot that talk quite loudly on a fairly consistent basis, but still continue to sit in the second row.
It’s a major distraction in a prominent section of the lecture hall-if you’re going to talk, don’t come to class, but if you’re hell-bent on coming to class and talking the whole time you’re there, sit in the back. People sitting in the front of the room often are interested in getting something out of the class, and at least for me, one reason to sit so close is so I can hear. It’s a lot harder to do that when I’m forced to hear about how Susie and Johnny were up late last night engaging in a rousing round of Dance Dance Revolution in Beaumont.
Also, if you have a question, is it really so hard to raise your hand and ask the teacher as opposed to whispering loudly to the person next to you, who has to whisper loudly back to explain the answer that’s probably wrong and distracting me while I’m attempting to pay attention to factual information?
Along that same “noise” vein, could everyone please stop leaving five minutes before class gets out? I mean, if you’re going to make the effort to come to class and stay the whole time, you can make it through another five minutes. I know it’s hard, knowing you’re missing the credits of “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” but try to contain yourself.
Also, something that I’ve learned in my years here, professors often disclose important information about homework, papers, exams, etc. at the end of class, so the shuffling at the end of every class hour is completely inappropriate. By packing up your stuff while the professor is talking, you’re only going to get out a maximum of 2.3 seconds faster.
An additional memo on this topic, if there’s an hour long class, and you’re not going to get there until 25+ minutes after the hour, just don’t show up. It’s not worth it, and you’re bothering the people who cared enough about the class to show up. If you absolutely must show up late, there is no need to slam the door to announce your presence to everyone. If the class started without you, you’re probably not important enough to make such a grand entrance. (Note to professors: If we promise to do this stuff, could you please start letting my classes out on time? I have other stuff to do and often other classes to get to. Thanks.)
There are a whole slew of things people do in classrooms that are annoying and downright unacceptable. Those people that make everyone in the class wait for a year and a half while they search for the exact quote that proves the point they want to make which isn’t relevant to the conversation anyway and also the people that don’t bother to do the reading, but like to speak in class like they have.
I’m sure that this insignificant piece of reading won’t change anything, but from now on, maybe people will at least think about who else they’re affecting before they do these things.