Looking to create mass chaos? Easy, just put hundreds of teenagers into hallways all at the same time.
Many students struggle with the mess of the hallways. However, they are not to blame because sometimes these crowded spaces become stressful and annoying. But what if everyone just followed hallway rules?
You might ask what hallway rules I’m talking about. Here are ten unwritten hallway rules anyone in the school should follow.
1. Walk on the Right Side
This one is common sense, yet so many people still walk on the wrong side. It’s like a road: stay in your lane, and people will be satisfied. It would make such a difference if everyone just simply knew what side of the hallway they’re meant to be on.
2. Do not Stop in the Middle of the Hallway
This is a big one. If someone stops in the middle of the hallway, that interrupts everyone else walking by or behind that person. Stopping usually just creates big, unorganized clumps of people. Again, it’s the same as traffic on the road. If you slam on your brakes, everyone else must slam on their brakes. Make it easier and safer for yourself and everyone around you to make it through the halls.
3. Walk Quickly
Speed is another easily fixable issue that occurs daily in the school halls. Yes, some people are naturally going to walk faster than others depending on things like leg length and how wide someone’s stride is, but that does not mean you can’t still move at a decent pace. This does not mean you need to be running or jogging in the halls; it just means to match the speed of those around you. However, if you are going to choose to take your time and walk slowly, then you might as well move out of the way rather than waste your time watching people constantly going around you. But if you just want to make everything simpler, just walk faster.
4. If you Drop Something, Get it Quick
Honestly, this one is just to help anyone who has or eventually drops something while walking. If you don’t want to get trampled over, then you better pick up whatever item fell as fast as you would pick something up for the five-second rule.
5. Don’t Scream Across the Hallways
Nobody likes it when people are screaming in their face or screaming over them. Walk up to whoever it is you are trying to talk to and then have a calm, quiet conversation with them.
6. Don’t Blast Music
If you’re wearing headphones and the people around you can hear your music, then it’s way too loud. Many students listen to music, but it isn’t hard to make sure that you are the only one that can hear your own. Also, how can you still hear after having your music turned up that loud anyway? It can’t be good to have music going into your ears that loudly, and it annoys other people, so do everyone a favor and turn it down a notch.
7. Don’t cut the Corners
There are two main reasons why you shouldn’t do this. One, you can’t see if someone is coming from the other side, which could cause a hard collision. And two, you never know who’s going to have their locker open, so if you slam into one, that’s on you. Also, don’t cut corners if you are on the wrong side of the hallway because you will probably just end up making the person who is on the right side annoyed or angry with you.
8. Don’t Randomly Turn Around
It is so awkward when someone turns around suddenly and then you’re going back and forth to get out of each other’s way. You don’t want to try to break someone’s ankles as you would do on a basketball court. If you are turning around suddenly, then you just aren’t allowing people behind you enough time to react. People turning around too fast is also another cause of many hallway traffic jams, which slows everyone down. And this is a great way to collide with others in the halls.
9. “PDA Go Away!”
A quote originally said by science teacher Jessica Overocker. Overocker said, “See something, say something, and the phrase just stuck. However, I used to say, ‘Public displays of affection are not permitted at Ottawa Township High School,’ but I just shortened it to ‘PDA go away.” It is important to be aware that people feel awkward when students are touching each other in the hallway; no one wants to see that. “Something I stole from Taliani is ‘You don’t want to see Mr. and Mrs. Gross leg hooking in the hallway, and we don’t want to see you doing it either.’ You’re adults in training, and that’s not adult life works,” Overocker said. With that said, just keep it in mind that if you’re going to be on one another in the hallway, don’t be surprised if you’re getting weird looks or something said to you.
10. Just be Mindful of the People Around You
Overall, we all have the same goals when in the halls: getting to the place we need to be. No matter where that is, most of us want to do so efficiently. If everyone follows these unwritten rules of the hallway, then this goal could definitely be achieved. Hopefully, as a result, we can limit the chaos of the hallways.