Since the beginning of time, humans have established unspoken agreements in order to form fully functioning social systems. These useful and crucial factors in these complex systems are known as norms and I personally adore them. In congested high school hallways, body odors start mixing, time keeps ticking and patience begins wearing thin. Encountering inconveniences can turn a passing period into a hectic race to class full of hall-way rage. To avoid grinding fellow peer’s gears, follow this simple list of do’s and don’ts.

Do:

• We’re not in England: Walk on the right side of the hallway. There is clearly traffic flowing in the opposite direction on the other side and stepping into that is likely to end up in a painful trampling. We have all seen “The Lion King”, have we not?
• No one likes a slow poke: Keep a steady flow, everyone has places to be and some prefer to beat the tardy bell.
• Manners are a must: Apologize after accidentally stepping on another student’s heel or do not be offended by the dirty look that follows.
• Play nice: Move over when someone says “Excuse me.” It is that simple.

Don’t:

• Brake checking: Come to a random, dead stop that forces the unwarned student behind to quickly stop in their tracks- this increases the chances of collision.
• Run, Forest, run!: Running creates chaos. The only reason to run is if there is a fire, in which case, warn the rest of us. We do not want to burn either.
• It’s not a race: Bulldoze through the crowd and take out every helpless student along the way.
• Shoulder-check: The hallway is not a hockey rink. I just want to get to class without bruises.