The first week of every school year is about learning the syllabus and playing name games to get to know your professors and peers. Not a lot is accomplished this week besides seeing how demanding a class will be or allowing a student to determine whether they want to drop the course. One thing sets the tone for the whole semester, which is the seat you sit in.

We have the freedom to choose what seat we would like to sit in for each class. Many of us have our preferences, such as sitting in the front, middle or back. Then there are those students who are all over the place and attempt to change their seat every class.

As college students, we have created a golden rule that should be followed, the unassigned assigned seats.

Some courses that are an easy A, may have students gravitate to the back of the classroom where they will doze off, watch Netflix and earn attendance credit.  In challenging courses, students are more likely to sit in the front of the class where it is easier for them to pay attention and absorb information.

The first two weeks of class are havoc (chaotic). Most students are late or don’t show up at all. The seating arrangement is all over the place and students sit wherever. But after the first two weeks, students get into the swing of things and have claimed their unofficial, official seat for the semester.

It irritates me when I am walking into class, ready to be a productive student, and I see someone sitting in my seat. I find it so disrespectful.

April Anderson, a senior at the university, explains that it frustrates her as well.  

“I be so mad when I walk in and see someone sitting in my seat, I think to myself how dare you,” Anderson said.

The unassigned assigned seats consensus among college students is so powerful,  it should be respected.

Catherine Cinque, a senior at the university explains that it is probably childish that she gets mad.

“I’ve unofficially claimed it [the unassigned seat] for the semester and halfway through you’re going to try and take it? At this point we all know where the empty seats are so if someone takes yours you go to the empty seat not mine,” Cinque said.

For all college students please come to understand the golden rule of the classroom and respect it. Unofficially claim your seats in your courses and stick to that seat.