Communication is essential when going about our day-to-day lives, whether we’re ordering food, calling a classmate, or spilling the latest news we have with our friends. As students, and more importantly, as humans, we are expected to communicate. However, an issue that has stood the test of time is talking about private matters publicly.

While everyone tries to be conscious of their volume, people rarely consider the content of what they are saying. I can admit where I make mistakes, and I’m actively working on keeping private matters private. I believe that as a school, this is something we all must speak about as we approach finals.

You’d be surprised what you hear when you take your headphones off or even just slightly lower their volume on campus. I wouldn’t call it eavesdropping, as I’m not hiding the fact that I can hear; hell, I’m writing an article about it. The problem is that there is no intent to keep the conversation hush-hush. However, the volume isn’t an issue — loud talkers are a universal problem that will exist wherever you go. Rather, it’s the content of what is being said. 

We have to be as conscious of our words as we are of our volume. It’s tempting to spill the tea — I get it, it’s a temptation for me, too. We don’t know how certain subjects make people feel, but we can at least try to understand when and where to discuss private matters. Sometimes the people you walk alongside are uncomfortable hearing the things you tell your friends, or maybe your friends are uncomfortable hearing you spout private information in front of many onlookers. Perhaps you don’t want people to hear this information. 

Put simply, if you don’t want other people to hear your gossip, don’t talk about it in public. Being mindful is a courtesy not only to others, but also to yourself; at WashU, information can get around fast, whether you like it or not. We should be as mindful of our words and who’s around us as we are mindful of speeding electric scooters.

A couple of weeks ago were midterms, and the whole school was anywhere and everywhere studying for finals. Yet, in a time when I thought I’d hear less talking, I actually heard more. As we chug along to finals, let’s take some time to reflect on and learn from our academic and social mistakes. A key part of being a college student is learning who you are. You should learn not only about yourself, but also the wider role you play on this campus and in the world at large. Thus, it’s time to learn about how your voice and words have consequences. 

Sometimes, we just have to read the room and know when to respectfully shut up, and sometimes, we have to tell others to shut up for the good of the community. The next time you’re in Olin or walking to class and you hear someone talking about ******* ** **** ***** *** **, maybe let them know that you, and a lot of other people, can hear them.