Do you think eating in the classroom is rude?

Nursing Students General Students

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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.

Specializes in Neuroscience.

When school becomes your life and you have to leave early (or perhaps a student left late) with no time to grab lunch, get over it. I hope you never go into a patient's room when they are eating. I'd hate for you to have those chills running down your spine. The horror.

Specializes in CVICU.

I don't mind when people eat snacks in class but if it's hot food I do mind.

But you never know what their situation is... They might be hypoglycemic and need to eat at that time.

Specializes in ER, Addictions, Geriatrics.
There is actually a name for this.....Misophonia, literally "hatred of sound", is a neurological disorder in which negative experiences (anger, flight, hatred, disgust) are triggered by specific sounds. These sounds can be loud or soft. The term was coined by American neuroscientists Pawel Jastreboff and Margaret Jastreboff and is often used interchangeably with the term selective sound sensitivity. http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0054706

The disorder comprises a unique set of symptoms, most likely attributable to neurological causes unrelated to hearing-system dysfunction. It can be described as an immediate and extremely negative emotional response accompanied by an automatic physiological flight response to identifiable auditory, visual, and olfactory stimuli. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/06/health/06annoy.html?_r=0

People who have misophonia are most commonly angered, and even enraged, by common ambient sounds, such as other people clipping their nails, brushing teeth, chewing crushed ice, eating, slurping, drinking, breathing, sniffing, talking, sneezing, yawning, walking, chewing gum, laughing, snoring, typing on a keyboard, whistling or coughing; saying certain consonants; or repetitive sounds. Some are also affected by visual stimuli, such as repetitive foot or body movements, fidgeting, or movement they observe out of the corners of their eyes; this has been termed misokinesia, meaning hatred of movement.

Hyperacusis: Evaluation, Diagnosis, and Treatment. - Hyperacusis Information Site

I most definitely can relate to this. I also realise how abnormal it is for me to be so agitated by such tiny noises. Nail clippers, mouth breathing, and chewing just make me want to scream! However! I know that the other person (hopefully) isn't doing it on purpose so try to contain myself.

Doesn't bother me- unless it's like bags of chips ruffling around every few seconds but if they are quite who cares! We all gotta eat and feed the brain!

Specializes in Intake, Home Care.

You know what's rude? Not so much people eating, it's the people that barge into class (not quiet), but 20-30 minutes late, coffee in hand then try to get to the back of the classroom through the center aisle.

Or EVERY class not turning off your phone!!!! Same person too.

You know what's rude? Not so much people eating, it's the people that barge into class (not quiet), but 20-30 minutes late, coffee in hand then try to get to the back of the classroom through the center aisle.

Or EVERY class not turning off your phone!!!! Same person too.

Hahahaha. Soooo true! I had this guy walk into class about 20 min late last week asking me to fill him in on what he missed! Ummmmm, no. I just looked at him and shrugged my shoulders like "sorry dude". Same guy is late EVERY class day and has never sat by me before. He always sits in random spot because he is always late. Hahaha. He leaves early too sometimes. Pffffffffft!

Specializes in Intake, Home Care.
Hahahaha. Soooo true! I had this guy walk into class about 20 min late last week asking me to fill him in on what he missed! Ummmmm, no. I just looked at him and shrugged my shoulders like "sorry dude". Same guy is late EVERY class day and has never sat by me before. He always sits in random spot because he is always late. Hahaha. He leaves early too sometimes. Pffffffffft!

Seriously though! If you have time to get a coffee? You shouldn't be that late!!!

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
@Esme: I may actually have this... It sounds eerily like my annoyance at someone scrunching their face repetitively, coughing, or clipping their nails. The eating doesn't bother me as much, as long as it isn't someone crunching chips or blowing gum. Mind blown.
It actually is really common. I cant stand noisy eating, gum smacking....really noisy breathers. I KNOW its my problem and my children have better manners. But is is REALLY bothersome to me. I blame it on sensory over load from a life time of critical care and the ED...PTSD :D.

So I move away. I tell myself to buck up and leave it alone.

Some days are worse than others...but we all have issues....LOL

Specializes in Education, research, neuro.

That late guy that strolls in with coffee in his hand? Yeah. We lock the door when lecture starts.

Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

I think it depends on what and how the people eat. Something that is quiet (or removed from the packaging) and doesn't smell shouldn't really be an issue. Some people, especially those who are in night/weekend programs designed for people working full-time, may not have any other opportunity to eat unless they wait until after class- and those classes can last several hours without any breaks. Now, food that involves a lot of noise and permeates the classroom with an odor should be off limits. Honestly, if food "sloshing in someone's mouth" bothers you, you probably need to put yourself at a distance from those who are eating. As Esme mentioned, this may be more than just annoyance and be an actual condition. The socializing does go too far, and should be controlled by the instructor. However, there's only so much one can do. You've already brought this up to the school, now the ball is in their court.

Wow! I didn't realize how common it was to dislike certain sounds. I hate it when someone next to me chews loudly or eats extremely crunchy foods for long periods of time. However, I absolutely start to feel like I'm going nuts when someone sits and chews with their mouth open and smacks their lips for the duration of the lecture or the time they are in the study areas.

Some of the things I do to mitigate it are:

A. sit towards the front of class since most of the loud eaters seem to sit in the mid to back portions for some reason (this does not always work)

B. eat my own snack quietly if its appropriate (long lectures or in the lounge) because it muffles or alleviates the sound

C. use headphones (can only be done outside of lecture)

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