If you’re an undergraduate student at UNH, you’ve probably stood in line at some event to either get your ticket or get some free stuff. If you’re a student like me, you HATE standing in line.

Unfortunately, lines are a part of not only student life at UNH but of life in general. We stand in line at the grocery store, the RMV, at the mall, in the cafeteria to pay for lunch, and at the movies.

Lines here at UNH are notorious for extreme disorganization and having one person hold the place for 10 others who come later. The Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA) and the Office of Student Activities (OSA) has taken steps to ensure that sign-ups go more smoothly.

There is now a policy in place that requires either a graduate assistant with the OSA or a USGA executive board member to be at all sign-ups for large events to ensure that they run smoothly. Everyone staying in line, not cutting the line, and being orderly all together mean that sign-ups are running smoothly.

Last week, SCOPE held sign-ups for their roller skating trip and their Mary Poppins on Broadway trip on the same night. Students started lining up at 7:00pm even though no one would be able to sign up until 9:00pm.

Glenn Altshuler and Lindsay Lynch, the Co-Chairs of SCOPE, did the only thing they could think of to make sure everything stayed orderly, they gave out numbered tickets and then had people sign up in that order. This was meant to ensure that everyone stayed in line according to number and that there was no cutting.

Personally, it’s about time someone took the time to make sure there was no cutting. If I wait for two hours in line I get upset when people cut me. They didn’t wait in line; I did. This being said I was shocked to see how many students were complaining about being given a ticket with a number. I would have given Glenn and Lindsay a hug for sticking up for me, just another student in line.

To all students who will wait in line to sign up for a trip this semester, please be patient! The people who plan these trips don’t want to screw you over by taking their friends first. If you think there are some students receiving preferential treatment, let the OSA grad assistant or USGA e-board member know. That is what they are there for!

If you don’t believe me that there really is a policy that stands up for you, the student, go to www.ChargerVoice.com and take a look at the Treasurers’ Manual under Treasurer Documents. It’s there, I promise. How do I know? I put it there after the need for it was brought to the attention of the USGA President, Chris Rinck.

What does this mean for you? This means that the USGA does listen to your concerns. Most importantly, this means that the USGA is holding organizations that have sign-ups accountable to keep them fair for you, the average student.

All we can ask for is that the process is fair and I believe we will all see more organizations trying to make sign-ups that way.