Respecting your fellow Smith students
Sarah Billian
Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: Opinions
A fellow student recently chided me for cutting in front of her.
I wasn't cutting in line, mind you, but merely reaching in front of her for a spoon. I didn't think anything of my behavior until said student reminded me that I "could have said 'excuse me,' you know."
Being the defiant, don't-tell-me-what-to-do-er that I am, I was gripped by a sudden urge to tell Ms. Manners to shove it. But I bit my tongue, remembering that I was planning to write an article on respect among students.
With this article in mind, I began to realize that snapping at this Emily Post-wannabe would be far from productive and only serve to reinforce my immaturity.
Ms. Manners had made an impression on my thinking, however, and helped me produce a piece that I hope will help Smith community members become more respectful people. With that said, I introduce the following: The Three Habits of Highly Respectful Smithies.
1. Keep quiet spaces quiet.
The Campus Center Café is meant to be a lively spot, as is Chapin Grab & Go and the Art Museum Atrium. If you want a quiet spot, opt for one of the libraries. This brings me to my point - in these designated quiet spaces, keep your volume to a minimum. While your discussion of molecular structure or the Crimean War might be academic, there is no reason to derail other people's studying. If you're working in a group, be decent and relocate to a communal study space. If you're unsure where to find such a group workspace, ask a librarian or the Campus Center staff.
2. Do your chores.
The workload might be heavy, but few will disagree that we Smith students have it relatively easy as far as living goes. Housekeepers and custodians work hard to keep our living spaces and bathrooms clean and in working order. While I don't care whether you grow microbes in your bedroom, I insist that it's hardly an imposition for us to lend a hand once in a while.
Nowhere does it read in your housekeeper's job description to scrub the remains of your vegan lasagna from the dish you left in your kitchenette sink, nor to remove the hair you've left clogging the shower drain. So be a dear, Smith College, and act like the civilized person that you are.
I wasn't cutting in line, mind you, but merely reaching in front of her for a spoon. I didn't think anything of my behavior until said student reminded me that I "could have said 'excuse me,' you know."
Being the defiant, don't-tell-me-what-to-do-er that I am, I was gripped by a sudden urge to tell Ms. Manners to shove it. But I bit my tongue, remembering that I was planning to write an article on respect among students.
With this article in mind, I began to realize that snapping at this Emily Post-wannabe would be far from productive and only serve to reinforce my immaturity.
Ms. Manners had made an impression on my thinking, however, and helped me produce a piece that I hope will help Smith community members become more respectful people. With that said, I introduce the following: The Three Habits of Highly Respectful Smithies.
1. Keep quiet spaces quiet.
The Campus Center Café is meant to be a lively spot, as is Chapin Grab & Go and the Art Museum Atrium. If you want a quiet spot, opt for one of the libraries. This brings me to my point - in these designated quiet spaces, keep your volume to a minimum. While your discussion of molecular structure or the Crimean War might be academic, there is no reason to derail other people's studying. If you're working in a group, be decent and relocate to a communal study space. If you're unsure where to find such a group workspace, ask a librarian or the Campus Center staff.
2. Do your chores.
The workload might be heavy, but few will disagree that we Smith students have it relatively easy as far as living goes. Housekeepers and custodians work hard to keep our living spaces and bathrooms clean and in working order. While I don't care whether you grow microbes in your bedroom, I insist that it's hardly an imposition for us to lend a hand once in a while.
Nowhere does it read in your housekeeper's job description to scrub the remains of your vegan lasagna from the dish you left in your kitchenette sink, nor to remove the hair you've left clogging the shower drain. So be a dear, Smith College, and act like the civilized person that you are.
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