Sitting in the front row

msfb · Sep 6, 2008

I agree about having 'your seat' because my gals and I have our set area. 2nd row, first 5 seats from the left. When we started the new semester, 'our' area was invaded by some people from a different cohort retaking the class. I thought I was going to have :redbeathe failure.

Is it that important? No. I can't explain it. Its my seat. The new cohorts have since moved to the front row. My class all knows where we sit. We have basically given ourselves assigned seats over the last 2yrs.

I'm also extremely territorial in my outside life. It's an issue I know I have to work on and it makes my poor husband a little crazy. He was an only child so he doesn't get it.

picurn10 · Sep 6, 2008

haha, I knew I wasn't the only one with "seating issues" I just feel uncomfortable having the whole class to my back for some reason, I don't feel like I get a sense of what's going on around me. I'm a very intuitive person, and a big part of who I am is about sort of "taking the temp" of a room, so I think that has a lot to do with it. I feel like I just can't get my bearings, not to mention the neckache!

For those who like the front row, go for it! Stats show that the people who sit near the front (the first few rows) typically have the highest scores :up:

I think I will just have to reclaim "my spot" afterall

yes, alimariee ITA it's highschool, but it's also the nature of group psychology and that's just how people are. The funny thing is, we only have probably 2 people in the whole class that are young 20's, everyone else is mid-30's to 40's, so in spite of pettiness, no highschoolers :chuckle

Rianna1 · Sep 6, 2008

I like to sit in the front or near the front just because it seems these days in classes, there are always students who want to chat and giggle during class. I sit there mainly to try to limit the distraction of the chatters.
And yes, people do think that they "own" a seat after occupying it for a couple days. People even show up an hour (or more!) early in order to "get" their front row seat. Whatever you do, don't be late. At our school, they lock the door! (for exams) If you are late, you automatically fail the exam!

I would LOVE it if they locked the doors for exams in our class; there is 1 person who is chronically late, sometimes up to 45 minutes late and is still able to take the exam (nice teachers). If they did that, it would teach him a lesson to be on time...He is also late to post-conference clinicals, which makes everyone go home later (he is not in my rotation or I would be the first one to address that...)

Sitting in the front: I learned early on that I needed to sit in front to pay attention in most classes, especially if the instructor is well-known for taking her exam questions from lecture. It also makes the class go by faster when I pay attention LOL

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Sep 6, 2008

I agree about having 'your seat' because my gals and I have our set area. 2nd row, first 5 seats from the left. When we started the new semester, 'our' area was invaded by some people from a different cohort retaking the class. I thought I was going to have :redbeathe failure.
Is it that important? No. I can't explain it. Its my seat. The new cohorts have since moved to the front row. My class all knows where we sit. We have basically given ourselves assigned seats over the last 2yrs.

That happened to a classmate of mine a while ago. We had a class in the very first classroom we ever used--whenever we were in that room, we always tended towards the same seats we had way back in the beginning. Classmate came to class on the first day to find her seat had been taken over by one of the new students. She was in a tizzy over it. But the new girl, being new, wanted a seat up front so she could pay attention. Overall, both parties were nice about it (my classmate groused for a couple of weeks, though) and the end result was the unspoken agreement that whoever got to class first got the seat, and the other one had a seat a row over and back. Which actually benefitted my classmate because she was one of the ones that would get in one minute before class (and occasionally several minutes after)--she started making an effort to get in earlier.

Now, we're in a different room and there's no seat issues...yet But yeah, we all do tend to gravitate towards the seats we picked on day 1. Speaking for myself, I always sit up front because it keeps me awake and focused. My grades reflect that, and I'm rarely singled out by the teacher.

OP: if there's no assigned seating, then you have a right to any seat in the classroom. But do consider the benefits of moving closer to the front (maybe move more to one side or another to improve your view)...as well as the feelings of those whose seat you're reclaiming. No, you don't have to give the seat up if you reclaim it, but as you were a bit upset over "your" seat being poached, don't be surprised if they get a bit upset too. But I'm sure y'all can handle it like adults

Kevin RN08 · Sep 6, 2008

I would LOVE it if they locked the doors for exams in our class; there is 1 person who is chronically late, sometimes up to 45 minutes late and is still able to take the exam (nice teachers). If they did that, it would teach him a lesson to be on time...He is also late to post-conference clinicals, which makes everyone go home later (he is not in my rotation or I would be the first one to address that...)
Sitting in the front: I learned early on that I needed to sit in front to pay attention in most classes, especially if the instructor is well-known for taking her exam questions from lecture. It also makes the class go by faster when I pay attention LOL

Being chronically late isn't a good way to go into a new career. And in nursing someone is going to have to cover him when he's late.

I would disagree with your "nice teachers" comment, in my opinion they are behaving more irresponsibly than he is, as they are supposed to be in charge. Is he allowed extra time to finish his test? Normally we're given an hour to finish, if he's 45 minutes late that should give him only 20-25 minutes to finish. That was the answer to my class' chronically late person, she was POd because she was only able to answer 30 of 50 questions and ended up with a 50%, even had the gaul to take it to the Dean (it went no where and she got chewed out:chuckle).

MedicalNerd · Sep 6, 2008

I have noticed that I need to be in the 2nd row to be more involved with the instructors lectures. I do much better when I am engaged in their instruction. We have 62 students and 62 chairs, so I do have to get there 20 min early to make sure I get the seat I like. I have had to sit further back and I just feel so left out of the lecture! I know it is not for everyone but I feel that I need to be upfront.

richardjboro1 · Sep 6, 2008

I totally get the "my seat" mentality. Me and my girls ( a group who has studied together since the very beginning of nsg school) always sit a little from the wall about half way back... it's always 1, 2, 3, in order.. LOL and now we have gone to tables in one class and it's kinda freaked everyone out.... anyway, we'll work it out.

R

Rianna1 · Sep 6, 2008

Being chronically late isn't a good way to go into a new career. And in nursing someone is going to have to cover him when he's late.
I would disagree with your "nice teachers" comment, in my opinion they are behaving more irresponsibly than he is, as they are supposed to be in charge. Is he allowed extra time to finish his test? Normally we're given an hour to finish, if he's 45 minutes late that should give him only 20-25 minutes to finish. That was the answer to my class' chronically late person, she was POd because she was only able to answer 30 of 50 questions and ended up with a 50%, even had the gaul to take it to the Dean (it went no where and she got chewed out:chuckle).

No, he was never given any extra time; Our tests are about 80-100 questions and we get about 2 hours. We have our midterm this Monday in Critical Care Theory and it is a hard teacher/course, so we'll see if he makes it on time...back to studying i go...

SA Girl · Sep 6, 2008

I'm a front seat person. For me, sitting up front I can focus my attention on the instructor and STAY focus. I use to be that person that sit in the middle or back but I had a hard time once in a class and decided to change my seat, and that worked for me and I have been a front seat person since then. But, it is about where you feel most comforable, so go claim your seat back. Good Luck

jtjames · Sep 6, 2008

I hate sitting in the front row, but somehow I got stuck up there:banghead: I started out in the middle, which is where I like to sit, but then one day I showed up and a couple people were sitting in "my" seat. The only spots left were the very back, or the very front I just can't really see the instructor, I have to turn sideways in my chair to feel like I'm participating. Plus I feel like there is resentment toward those sitting in the front row (silly I know) and I just don't want to be singled out at this point in the school year.
Am I just being paranoid, or do other's not like sitting in the front either? I just hate to make people mad, but I'm going to have to show up early and reclaim a middle seat. I know no one "owns" a seat, but you know how people can be about their "spot"

this is going to sound crazy. but my friends and I were so paranoid about losing out seats over vacation that at beginning of semester one of us went in day before and put sweaters on a couple of the seats so it would look like someone was already there....leave something behind, a sweater, notebook etc at end of day so that next morning it will look like someone has already claimed the seat....i know it's crazy.

dekagirlsRN · Sep 6, 2008

Research shows that students who sit in the front score higher on exams. Last semester, I sat in the third seat from the front. This semester I'm in the front row. We'll see. Hey, I'll try anything if it means a higher score! If I was told wearing a pink and green polka dot scarf everyday would get me a higher score, I'd do it!! :)

Bortaz, MSN, RN · Sep 6, 2008

I would LOVE it if they locked the doors for exams in our class;

Well, you might. Until you had a flat tire, or ran out of gas, or something came up, or any of a million different things that could cause you to be late. If your draconian policy backfired and you failed med/surg, I think you'd be a little less in favor of it.

The chronically late student needs to be addressed, individually, by the instructors.