In most cases I restrain myself from passing a judgement on obsessive eaters.
In recent weeks though, I have become severely agitated when I go to my classroom which has a sign right on the door reading "NO FOOD OR DRINK" and people insist on bringing their dinner or their snacks in and eating them in front of everyone while people are trying to do their work and socializing while they eat. The classroom should not be treated like their living room.
They almost seem to be testing their limits. The teacher lets them get away with it and the school has ignored the complaint I sent to them.
I find the sound of them chewing their food revolting, offensive and distracting. Sometimes the sound of the food sloshing inside their mouths gives me chills down my spine.
The cafeteria is just right in walking distance, a place where if I see them eating, I refrain from evaluating them.
They also have option to take their food outside, a place where I can easily mind my own business.
Not only do people insist on bringing food into class but also continue to eat for extended periods of time. They go get more food after they finish what they have.
Unless it's a small class with a mutual agreement about food, eating in front of people is disgusting and disrespectful.
Technically speaking, it's still annoying. So I find it rude. Much like OP finds eating in class annoying, and thus rude. We all have our pet peeves. If OP can call us rude for violating his/hers, we can call OP rude for violating ours.
In the same way that Courier New is not considered rude neither is a large font. If you want to discuss this it needs a new thread.
Haha speaking of disgusting sounds, what about someone who needs to blow their nose but doesn't get a tissue. I wanted to scream during my final because the person next to me kept sucking up their snot every couple minutes for almost two hours. It was distracting and I wanted to barf.
Bring some Kleenex the next time and be ready to hand them out, or do what I've done in the past and buy handkerchiefs and give them to whoever needs one.
I do agree with some posters who said I should confront them in a polite way. This involves some risk when the teacher is just calmly looking on and when I am outnumbered. When these people come in who act like they own the room they are sending a message that my classwork, my grades and my feelings are a bunch of insignificant hoopla. It makes me ashamed of my school which insists on good conduct. They should also be encouraging people to advocate for themselves since they will be going into healthcare where you will desperatley need skills to protect yourself.
Also, being hypoglycemic or diabetic does not give someone a right to disrupt the class with junk food snacks. When my blood sugar drops, I get up and leave. I do not eat in front of people who are working and who sometimes need to stay at their desks until they complete certain tasks.
Lets start with the first one. You were lucky in that you received a break every 50 minutes. A lot of classes are not as lucky as you. Some of us don't get a break until almost the 2 hour mark.
Onto the second. Constantly fidgeting. I myself have ADHD and do not take my medication because it causes me to have bouts of cough and without food, causes severe nausea. So, fidgeting is going to happen. If fidgeting bothers you, here's a hint: Sit in the front. What a shock. You won't see people fidget.
I find it rude that you find eating in a class rude. How the world goes round and round. :)
If you do not have adequate break time, you should consult your faculty. It is a failure on their part because breaks allow for consumption of food, drinking beverages, using the bathroom, and giving your brain a rest so that you may focus adequately on the materials presented. If the class is only two hours in duration, you still should likely be able to last that time. Technically our professors should have given us a break every 50 minutes, but not every one did. Sometimes we did work through breaks.
I understand that some people can't control fidgeting. I've generally not confronted people about this, but I was more referencing constant foot tapping. Seating is not always possible due to the selection from students (who are rigid in their desires to sit in a particular location) combined with no available seats. I think we will reach an impasse that neither party will be happy with, so I'm unlikely to respond beyond this point. Best of luck!
Specializes in ICU, Radiology,Infectious Disease,Forensic Nursing.
Bring some Kleenex the next time and be ready to hand them out, or do what I've done in the past and buy handkerchiefs and give them to whoever needs one.
Ugh it was still distracting and i'm lucky enough to remember pencils on finals day lol. I don't see bringing everyone tissues in my future. Hopefully that student will next time shes sick though.
When my husband teaches classes that run from 2-3 hours long, he asks the class as he's taking attendance, whether they'd rather have two 10 minute breaks or get out 20 minutes early or spend that extra time reviewing or in a Q&A session? He goes with the majority vote.
If someone needs a potty break, or will simply die without a cigarette, they just get up, quietly leave, then return when they're done.
He teaches adults and treats them like adults. Maintenance puts those pesky signs up -- food-related, fire, no exit, etc., not the admin.
For the most part, as long as people clean up after themselves, the admin, security, faculty doesn't care who eats where because many students hold down fulltime jobs, have families, etc. He has a student who works fulltime and has almost three-year-old triplets. believe me, that student was given EVERY break she needed. Not by way of grades, but every other way.
Some of these people are eating junk food and when one bag in gone they go get more.
And? Why does it matter if they go get another snack other than the noise bothers you. Maybe they are still hungry. And someone who is diabetic or hypoglycemic has every right to eat in class. Why should they have to leave?
Kuriin, you're a bad girl! I can smell those cinnamon rolls wrapped in the crinkly wax paper wrapping from here! I think my diet is about to take a direct hit!
The point is they were eating when I am trying to focus on work that my grade depends on. If it was a term paper, exam or lecture it's all the same thing.
I'm terribly sorry this is happening to you and there isn't anything you can do about it. I'm sure all the advice from other posters are things you've tried. I say petition your professors and bring this important matter to their attention. Don't try to move, talk to them, or come to an understanding that this is a physiological need in Maslow's first hierarchy. Once you pass the NCLEX, I'm sure you'll never see any of these people again. Ever. What's the worst that could happen? You'll be able to listen to lecture in peace, and no one will ever know it was you who turned them in. Networking...it's not needed in the day and age of Linkedin. Nursing jobs are everywhere. You do what you need to do!
Honestly, I think it's ridiculous that you're making a fuss about this. If they're cleaning up after themselves, mind your own business. Stop tattling and trying to make your classmates miserable. One of the most important things in life is learning how to play well with others, and this seems like they are behaving reasonably, rule or no. I fail to sympathize with you in this. I think trying to make friends will be a much better use of your time and energy than obsessing about this.
Alnitak7
562 Posts
In the same way that Courier New is not considered rude neither is a large font. If you want to discuss this it needs a new thread.