Each day, students rush to and from classes in the narrow span of five minutes. We all spend this time in different ways: chatting with friends, listening to music, minding our business. But as with any system, there are always a few special, obnoxious people who cross the line and disturb the sacred balance.

Meet the classic hallway disruptors: those who stand still in the middle of traffic, make blockades in front of crowded doorways, and yell over your head down the hall, seeming to forget that the open walkway is a communal space. I question why it’s so necessary, and why these hooligans think it’s okay.

I’m so, so sorry we’re not all as important as the friend you’re screaming at across the hall, and I truly apologize that you spent the past four minutes talking and are now running across the school to gym. Don’t even get me started on how badly I feel that the hallway is full of people crowding your own precious walkway. But really, I don’t think you need to barrel through all the sane people left so that you can reach your destination in a timely manner.

Perhaps it’s the lack of order. In elementary school, we had hallway monitors who got super-cool neon vests; I remember one friend even brought in her own whistle (eventually confiscated, but that’s beside the point). Many students regularly sit behind the wheel of a car; some work with children, whether through student teaching or through babysitting, and half the seniors can vote! Yet nobody knows how to walk in the hallway. When you think about it, it’s pretty pathetic.

Just the other day, as I was walking to my car, an underclassman much taller than I shoved past me to get to wherever. Because I don’t like putting up with childishness, I grabbed his arm and scolded him, “PUSHING IS RUDE.” He looked startled and said sorry. I don’t think he’ll push me again. But I’m sure he’ll push others. A tragedy of our time.
It all comes down to this fact: We’re all in school for almost seven hours a day, we’re all tired, we’re all curmudgeonly making our way to the next hour of class, and we’re all just trying to use the hallways, so why be a pain about it? Just walk.