Dear hallway-blockers, slow-walkers and freshmen in general,
You now have had many, many, many weeks of high school at Princess Margaret under your belts—congratulations. However, in the excitement of knowing where all of your classes are without having to circle the school 5,000 times, you seem to have forgotten (or have never been informed of) a few things about ‘hallway etiquette.’ I speak for many people when I say stop making walking in the hallways a living nightmare. Here’s what I mean.
Hugging. I am thrilled that you have friends that you want to run up to after class, but really? You saw him or her 45 minutes ago. I’m concerned you have separation anxiety issues, and you should probably get that checked out. In a typical hallway there are people moving in two directions. When you and your friend stop in the middle of then hallway so that you can give each other a huge hug — probably accompanied by sequel of hitting notes previously unknown to human ears — everyone behind you is then forced to stop and wait. A huge amount of traffic is created with 10 million people behind you in line.
People then start to get frustrated and try to go around you, walking on the other side of the hall, making the people on that side angry, and the whole situation deteriorates.
It’s all your fault. But do you notice? Of course not! You’re still too busy hugging your friend and squealing about how much you missed them last hour.
This is a big school — find an area that ISN’T crammed with 200 students to give your friend a hug. Coming from a claustrophobic, trust me — there are plenty of options for non-crowded spaces.
The other great way is congregating in the middle of the hallway. Ever had to fight your way through a mob of people a foot taller than you to get to class? I have. It may be easier for taller people, but for someone checking in at 5’6 1/4 on a good day, it’s not easy to fight through a sea of 6’6” football player’s intent on nothing more than remaining exactly where they are.
Common courtesy would dictate that if there is someone trying to get through a hallway and you or your buddies are standing in the way, you would slide aside to let that person pass. Apparently, common courtesy stops at the doors of the school.
Pick a hallway and I’ll show you a flock of people just chilling out in the exact geometric middle of it. Not moving. Just talking.
Students are trying to make it to lockers and then back in the opposite direction for class. Teachers are trying to push heavy carts of laptops. Those poor souls on crutches or in walking boots are just trying to not fall on their face. Help everyone out — don’t make a human barricade when your entire gang meets up after fourth hour.
Walking slowly
And finally, the queen of hallway annoyances would be walking slowly.. Those people who just don’t seem to have anywhere to be top anyone’s list of reasons to be late to class. Get stuck behind a mob of them and the is game over — you’re sure to be late.
This may be a novel concept to all of you slow walkers permeating the halls, but there are some sincere students who need to get to the class and that class is probably far away. By taking your own sweet time, you’re not only annoying the students you’re holding hostage in your wake, but also their teachers. It’s a chain reaction that is headed nowhere good.
So, if you’re not planning on going to class, or you’re in no hurry to get there, do everyone a favor and walk near the edge of the hall and let people past you.
We’ve got six or seven more weeks in this semester. Let’s try to exercise the courteous muscle in our bodies and make everybody’s passing periods a little less stressful. It’s one small thing you can do that makes a huge difference in how you’re perceived in the halls.
You now have had many, many, many weeks of high school at Princess Margaret under your belts—congratulations. However, in the excitement of knowing where all of your classes are without having to circle the school 5,000 times, you seem to have forgotten (or have never been informed of) a few things about ‘hallway etiquette.’ I speak for many people when I say stop making walking in the hallways a living nightmare. Here’s what I mean.
Hugging. I am thrilled that you have friends that you want to run up to after class, but really? You saw him or her 45 minutes ago. I’m concerned you have separation anxiety issues, and you should probably get that checked out. In a typical hallway there are people moving in two directions. When you and your friend stop in the middle of then hallway so that you can give each other a huge hug — probably accompanied by sequel of hitting notes previously unknown to human ears — everyone behind you is then forced to stop and wait. A huge amount of traffic is created with 10 million people behind you in line.
People then start to get frustrated and try to go around you, walking on the other side of the hall, making the people on that side angry, and the whole situation deteriorates.
It’s all your fault. But do you notice? Of course not! You’re still too busy hugging your friend and squealing about how much you missed them last hour.
This is a big school — find an area that ISN’T crammed with 200 students to give your friend a hug. Coming from a claustrophobic, trust me — there are plenty of options for non-crowded spaces.
The other great way is congregating in the middle of the hallway. Ever had to fight your way through a mob of people a foot taller than you to get to class? I have. It may be easier for taller people, but for someone checking in at 5’6 1/4 on a good day, it’s not easy to fight through a sea of 6’6” football player’s intent on nothing more than remaining exactly where they are.
Common courtesy would dictate that if there is someone trying to get through a hallway and you or your buddies are standing in the way, you would slide aside to let that person pass. Apparently, common courtesy stops at the doors of the school.
Pick a hallway and I’ll show you a flock of people just chilling out in the exact geometric middle of it. Not moving. Just talking.
Students are trying to make it to lockers and then back in the opposite direction for class. Teachers are trying to push heavy carts of laptops. Those poor souls on crutches or in walking boots are just trying to not fall on their face. Help everyone out — don’t make a human barricade when your entire gang meets up after fourth hour.
Walking slowly
And finally, the queen of hallway annoyances would be walking slowly.. Those people who just don’t seem to have anywhere to be top anyone’s list of reasons to be late to class. Get stuck behind a mob of them and the is game over — you’re sure to be late.
This may be a novel concept to all of you slow walkers permeating the halls, but there are some sincere students who need to get to the class and that class is probably far away. By taking your own sweet time, you’re not only annoying the students you’re holding hostage in your wake, but also their teachers. It’s a chain reaction that is headed nowhere good.
So, if you’re not planning on going to class, or you’re in no hurry to get there, do everyone a favor and walk near the edge of the hall and let people past you.
We’ve got six or seven more weeks in this semester. Let’s try to exercise the courteous muscle in our bodies and make everybody’s passing periods a little less stressful. It’s one small thing you can do that makes a huge difference in how you’re perceived in the halls.
