(-- The Beacon)
By Lesley Dawson
In searching for a topic for my first opinion column, I made a list of simple things I find annoying. This was mildly successful, but my efforts didn't really shed light on any major problems plaguing UP's student body.
I came up with a few things: when educated individuals don't know when to use "your" and "you're," people who don't know how to use four-way-stops (just because you stopped doesn't mean it's your turn to go) and the fact the Library closes at midnight on weekdays when I clearly don't start my papers until 11:30 p.m. the night before they are due.
As I sat in traffic on I-5 on Friday night, I couldn't help but return to one topic: common courtesy.
"Chivalry is dead" has become a common phrase in the language of the college female, and possibly females of all ages. But I'm not just talking about chivalry. There is a serious problem I have noticed on this campus.
I'd be hard-pressed to find someone who consistently says "thank you" to those serving them. I challenge anyone to stand by the registers in The Cove or The Commons during a busy mealtime and listen for how many whole-hearted "thank you's" are said. My guess is very few.
Even I am in a rush sometimes, and yeah, the extremely long lines at lunchtime are pretty annoying. But it's really not that difficult to thank someone for, at the very least, trying to get you through the line and on your way to class, home or studying as fast as they can. It's not really the staff's fault that you wanted a wrap.
I'm not asking for a lot, but the same staff works every single day to get us through the line and back to devouring sandwiches, ranch wraps and burgers as fast as they can. If you go in early on Saturday and Sunday mornings, many of them are still working to make sure that we get what we need as we try to avoid bright lights and loud noises.
The people working aren't even just your fellow students trying to make some money. Staff members who aren't students surprisingly care about you and what you're up to – just give them the chance to get to know you as a person and not just what you're ordering.
I don't expect other students to go out and make friends with everyone working at The Cove or The Commons, though I could see this being beneficial in some respects. You don't have to party with them on the weekends (I bet Glen C. could throw down).
I simply ask that, at the very least, other students be respectful of the work they do to make our lives a little bit easier as we drown in our Biblical Traditions readings, statistics homework and history essays.
Every student here has the chance to impact someone's day positively. It won't kill you to say a genuine "thank you" once in a while.
