Keep it Moving People!: On Getting through Passing Periods
The bell rings, and students flood out of classrooms forming groups in unpredictable spaces. Teachers stand in the hallways directing traffic, while the commotion piles on top. The main hallway is bustling with slow walkers, fast walkers, and groups of people who coordinate with friends. And when you see all of this, it’s a quite chaotic scene when trying to get from Dominican Way to 3rd Hall, a situation so out of control yet quite embarrassing when you arrive too late to class, and the only thing you can say is, “I couldn’t get through the hallways.”
“I hate it, I have to push people through the hallways to get past because no one would offer space to move,” said an anonymous student.
“I hate it, it shows the lack of consideration and entitlement the students have and the school hasn’t done anything to address or fix it,” said Junior Kendall Change. “It’s annoying and it’s not just me complaining about it, anyone trying to make their way around this school during the passing period detest it.”
Having been at Marian Catholic for three years I know it’s not a castle or a palace, yet navigating it with a substantial amount of students exiting through classrooms can feel like an adventure; an unpredictable commotion awaits while you walk through the halls. Sometimes, I envision the hallways as a Driver’s Ed course: within the groups of people who stop and walk inconsistently, you can compare them to drivers who turn on the brake too fast; or the walkers who will never give you time to get away from your classroom door; and there are the speeders who speed through the hallways without a care, bumping into backpacks without apology.
Everyone is susceptible to making hallway mistakes, but there are a few hallway etiquette rules we should all abide by to make the hallways a more swift path for everyone.
Hallway Etiquette Rules
- Walk quickly or at a reasonable pace. (Duh!)
- Give space for disabled individuals to walk. (It’s respectful and more efficient for them to get to class on time)
- Keep to the right side of the hallways. Think of driving!
- If you need to pull a friend or have a quick chat, go to the side of the hallway so that students have space to walk around you
- Never stop in the middle of the hallways to talk to a friend unless you want to get bumped.
It is inevitable that people will see these basic rules and dismiss them but if we neglect the importance of hallway etiquette even the best of students can fall victim to tardy arrival.
There isn’t a clear solution to this issue, but remind yourself of these rules because a more swifter hallway can serve several benefits and maybe you’ll have to say less “Excuse me’s.” I know we’re not all “ready to learn” kids, but beating the clock a few minutes before class is important because not only is there less commotion in the hallways, but when we practice this habitually it becomes a habit that translates into the real world, such as arriving early to business meetings, or a scheduled appointment; this leads to us being more prepared to reflect on the agenda and having time to build relationships with our peers and teachers.
