The Collegian

Issue date: 10/10/06 Section: News

Media Credit: Zack Farmer

Maybe I'm getting old, but what has happened to common courtesy lately? Well, back in my day, it was taught so frequently and so vigorously that common courtesy has become second nature, thus I suppose a dinosaur like myself would be taken aback when not receiving said courtesy.

I resort to the library to read and study because I am easily distracted and need the quiet, but when I sit down and try to get in the zone, noise disrupts me. Sound really carries in the library, yet we have people chatting and laughing with their friends, athletes doing their team study halls, groups raising their voices over the noise to communicate with their groups, and people blasting their iPods. I always end up leaving frustrated with very little studying done.

Have people forgotten that libraries are supposed to be quiet? Isn't it common courtesy to turn off one's cell phone, turn down one's headphones, and do limited talking?

That, however, is not my only beef with people and manners.

I am a Student Ambassador; I lead tours for prospective students. Isn't it lovely that when leading a family with strict rules and moral values by De La Salle Hall, some students start to make very loud and obscene noises? Umm…not quite. That's not it, however, as one of my tours goes through the Ferroggiaro arcade at about 11:30 on Wednesday. On this tour, we hit the jam of hungry people. Okay, so it's a little inconvenient for me to be leading a tour by the BBQ line at that time, but does that make it okay for people to say, "Hey, watch where you're going!" loud enough for the prospective students to feel uncomfortable? Hello, I'm walking backwards, I obviously don't have eyes in the back of my head, and I'm leading a group of students who are taking a tour to see if they want to come to Saint Mary's, telling them how welcoming we are here. I don't think that type attitude would make those prospectives feel welcome. Shameful.

Speaking of high school kids, what's with kids having less and less common courtesy these days? Hardly do they hold open doors, say "thank you," or do any such minor thing. These please-and-thank-you manners are so non-existent lately that it makes me wonder if they are taught anymore.

So maybe I just run into all the se people while they are in a bad mood making them seem ill-mannered-I suppose it is a possibility. Even then, I find it jarring. But then again, perhaps I am getting old. By the way, I'm 20.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools