Every single day, I wake up, get ready and walk to my classes. While walking, I notice friends talking, a slight breeze blowing in the air and numerous buses driving around campus.
However, my once-peaceful day comes to a crashing halt as soon as I enter the classroom.
It doesn’t take a keen eye to notice the rambunctious behavior of my fellow classmates. The first, of course, being the constant disruption that comes from students getting up and leaving in the middle of class.
A few weeks ago, I was taking notes in my Greek and Roman mythology class when, in the middle of the lecture, one of my peers decided to get up and leave.
This was the first time in my whole college career that I’d seen a college professor have a downcast gaze and a frown on their face. My professor’s face reminded me of the faces that people often make while watching a commercial for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Not only did the student in question upset my professor, but by opening and closing the door, he made a loud, squeaky noise. This caused many students, including myself, to stop taking notes and look toward the back of the classroom to see what was going on. The worst part of it all is that the student couldn’t have cared less.
Why come to class if you’re not going to take some time out of your day to listen to the professor? I mean, seriously, what’s the point in walking or driving to class if you’re just going to turn around and go back to wherever you live? That seems like a major waste of time.
Whether you had pushover parents or a crappy secondary education, that’s not really an excuse for poor behavior. As someone who values her education, I find it completely disrespectful to enter a space of learning only to be a distraction. Yes, this also includes students who come to class just to play games on their computers. As if you couldn’t possibly do that in your dorm room or apartment. Perish the thought.
Technology has changed the way we socialize and work in various ways. Cell phones and computers have given us faster communication, access to millions of sources and more. However, it is perhaps one of the biggest hindrances in education.
According to a 2016 survey of college students in 26 different states conducted by the University of Nebraska, undergraduates reported spending 21% of class time using digital devices for non-classroom purposes.
That survey was conducted nearly a decade ago, so just imagine how high the percentage is today. You can’t tell me it’s not worse after stepping into a college classroom. Pay close attention, and you’ll witness at least a quarter of the class hiding their phones behind their computer screens.
At the end of the day, whether or not a student likes a class is up to them. But if your only purpose in the classroom is to distract everyone else, then don’t go to class. You’re an adult. Your parents aren’t going to force you to go to class, so don’t go.
Nobody deserves to be sitting near someone who’s watching TikTok without earbuds in or playing Wordle on their computer. It simply disturbs the people who care about learning.
In essence, if you don’t want to go to class, here’s a wonderful idea: don’t come to class and be a hindrance to everyone else’s education.
Taylor Hamilton is a 19-year-old mass communication sophomore from Tallahassee, FL.
