Stop throwing fries at me PLZKTHX

The leap from high school and university can be huge, but don’t lose your manners along the way

By Julie Skinner

After being repeatedly pelted in the back of the head with greasy french fries in the Engineering cafeteria, I’ve come to the conclusion that not all students realize there is a difference between university and high school. For whatever reason, hilarious high school hijinks do not translate well in a university setting and the smartass class clown antics from grade 12 will make you the most hated guy in the lecture hall. We all go through that awkward adjustment period in our first year where we feel overwhelmed and out of our element. The thing is, university is a place where you are expected to grow up. No matter how unaccustomed you may be to the environment, students still need to be mindful of one another. In high school, ‘adults’ were the ones who ruled the campus. Forget about the popular kids, if you needed a late slip or wanted 45 cent milk, you had to go through a grownup. The secretary, the student assistant, the lunch lady—these were the people who we relied on. At Memorial, the majority of services are provided to students by students themselves. Whether you are ordering a coffee at Treats, requesting a copy of your transcript at the Registrar’s office, or taking out a reserve at the library, chances are that a MUN student is behind the counter serving you. Once in university it is assumed that we are more capable than high schoolers and as such we are given greater responsibilities. Undergrads are expected to behave like the mature adults who once kept us in line. So why is it that some of us are still throwing fries and wreaking havoc on communal food court areas? High school had supervising teachers on duty to keep lunch-time hooligans in check. Do we really need to go back to that? Packing up 10 minutes before a class ends is another instance of this disregard for fellow students. If I cannot hear what my professor is saying because his or her voice is being drowned out by the rustling sounds of those around me, I get a little ticked off. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate being let out of class early just as much as the next person. When this becomes a regular habit, however, it crosses the line into blatant rudeness. Let the professor finish, or if you have to leave early, do it quietly. Calling out an aggravated “slow down” or “this doesn’t make sense” in class is just as annoying as the Chatty Cathys who refuse to shut up during a lecture. This kind of brazen attitude is something that we associate with spoiled high school students and you will be hard pressed to find sympathizers for such conduct in university. Use your words, kids. If you have something to say then do it politely. If you’re having problems with how a course is being taught, go talk to the professor after class, or during his or her office hours. Please keep in mind, what entertained your classmates back in the day now comes off as obnoxious foolishness to the 21-year-old university student. The campus is a less tolerant environment than that of high school, probably because the majority of us are paying out of our own pockets to be here. The beauty of post-secondary school is the fact that we can choose whether or not we want to show up to class at all. No longer are there teachers roaming the halls looking for kids on the skip—the responsibility to attend class and hand in assigned work is completely on the individual. If you do not wish to attend a class then by all means, do not go. If you are going to go to show up, however, then please be mindful of those around you. As MUN students we should all be thinking as team players. Let’s be more considerate and conscious of one other. I would also think twice about being rude to someone who is preparing the meal that I plan on ingesting. And would it kill you to say “thank you” after you have received your food or beverage?

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