1. Campus-wide sickness. Why does it seem like everyone gets sick at the same time? Perhaps it has to do with the fact that we all live on top of each other on this quaint campus. It may also be due to the college students I observe who seem to have forgotten that simple lesson from kindergarten: cover your mouth when you cough! There is nothing more annoying than getting coughed on by your classmate as you pass around papers. Or in the dining commons, when you’re making your own sandwich at the deli and you notice the person in front of you adding their own personal ingredients to the spread – that ingredient being their germs flying from their mouth from an uncovered cough. Soon enough, after noticing a few of these things, I find myself getting the sniffles, and all my friends are coughing, too. Let’s take a minute and remember what our lovely elementary school teachers taught us, so that we can all enjoy the rest of our semester free of illness.
2. Inappropriate messages on white boards. Really? Are we in middle school? I get sick of walking down residence halls only to see curse words or crude drawings on people’s dry erase boards. I’m almost positive that’s not what they’re for. Now jokes, on the other hand, are a great thing to put on these boards; it is a way to bring joy to every person that walks by and takes the time to read it. Cute drawings of animals are also a great way to fill the space and make people smile. It is not a fun time, however, to read profanities. So let’s clean it up.
3. People who scream on the phone. You know you’re talking too loud on the phone when the person three rooms down can hear your conversation. It really isn’t necessary to talk so loud, yet countless people tend to raise their voices when they pick up their phones. Or, there’s those people who talk on their phones in inappropriate places, such as the library or the study lounge. These are not ideal places to hold a conversation with your boyfriend from home, especially when you’re surrounded by people who are actually trying to be productive students. Next time you pick up your phone, make a conscious effort to check your voice volume often.
What burns your toast? Email Ellen Sherman (esherman@eastern.edu) with what really annoys you & see if it gets published!