You are driving down the streets of Sacramento. You have seven minutes to get where you need to go. Everything is working out. You are driving the speed limit, following all the laws, and jamming out to some rad tunes. Then,all of a sudden, everyone stops. You are forced to step on your breaks and you silently swear to yourself because this delay is putting a damper on your easygoing morning.
This happens daily throughout the hallways of McClatchy. The hallways are like the Autobahn filled with newly licensed drivers. A select few are driving fast and can handle it, but for the most part, drivers are inexperienced and are getting in everybody’s way. People are crashing into the new doormats, people see their friends and decide not to pull over to talk, and students are committing transport suicide by walking on the left side of the hall. I guarantee if people drove on the wrong side of the road in heavy traffic because it is a “little less crowded,” people would die.
The pieces of infrastructure that clearly have to be reconstructed are the newfound McClatchy doormats. Every time you open a door, you find yourself trapped. You may be patient, but fellow peers might not be. Before you know it, the mats are folded over themselves, causing mayhem and destruction.
Don’t be a mat folder. Be a mat unfolder. Don’t be a useless bystander. If you see a mat that is wreaking havoc, fix it, before it’s too late and you see a dear friend faceplant.
The second issue with the people walking in hallways is their blindness to six and a half foot long poles in the middle of doorways. You’re not a ghost, you can’t walk through anything solid, let alone a pole. We are all trying to get to class. Your crash might provoke some laughs among your peers, but it’s not worth the delays you cause in the halls. How can you avoid this? Look where you’re going and walk on the right.
The third problem with students walking in the hallways is consistently staying on your side of the road. On roads, you’re considered a reckless driver and are breaking the law if you drive on the wrong side. It is destructive. It is inconvenient. It is not okay. I know you want to feel rebellious, but don’t do it. Every once in awhile, it wouldn’t hurt to use the wrong side as a passing lane, but you have to be sure to only do it when it is not too busy. Right after you use it, get back in your lane.
Another road blocker comes from some of our fellow students sitting on the steps, blocking the route of people walking from place to place. Would you eat lunch in the middle of the freeway? No. So why would you eat lunch in the middle of the stairs? At least have the decency to eat on the side.
Finally, the last issue is the blaring music coming from the pockets of entitled young men and women, who think their music is better than anybody else’s. Who gave you the right to prioritize your music over ours? It detracts from the music of others. You’re not being cool. You’re just being a disturbance. Walking in the halls should not be a negative experience filled with obnoxious music.
So, the next time you set foot in the hallways of McClatchy, think about what your next move will be. Make the ethical choice. If you see a mat folded over, it will only take a few seconds to flip it back. Those few seconds can save minutes of hallways casualties and tardiness. Keep an eye out for poles, stay in your lane, and keep your loud music to a minimum. Together, let’s make the hallways of McClatchy a safe and peaceful environment for our fellow students.