By Tasha Cook
Let me tell you a story. This morning, on my way through school, I actually got the privilege to be part of a giant, life-sized pinball machine full of zombies. What, you didn’t see it?
You were part of it too.
This is the daily life of a college student walking through the halls, buildings and classrooms of our school, merely on account of the complete carelessness and lack of effort on the part of anyone else to just walk a straight line and stay out of other peoples’ way. I can’t tell you how many mornings I have walked to the Ledger office, lugging my laptop, camera, personal backpack and other various things, only to have to make every effort to dodge the one single person in the entire hallway who seems to make it a point to walk straight into me.
Common sense, people. Common sense.
I’m not saying the world should part the seas for me to walk through. On the contrary, I think it takes an effort from all people to try to make each other’s lives a little easier. What I don’t understand is the seemingly hundreds of people I see every day wandering aimlessly right into my path, staring ahead as if entranced by a giant hypno-swirl behind me that I must be oblivious to. It’s like they’re… zombified. Sometimes I feel like I’m surrounded by a meandering lot of zombies, not intent on eating other humans but just knocking them around or getting in
their way.
The same goes for people who find it necessary to walk in large groups spanning entire hallways and make no effort to allow anyone else to pass. I have actually spent entire minutes just trying to get around groups of chatting people, and I’m generally a small person who can get through small spaces.
People seem to find it easy to leave no spaces to get by, however, unless you’re a pygmy goat. I understand that you have your group of friends. So do I folks. But these halls are about eight people wide and somehow the three of you can take it all up.
When I see someone else in a hurry, carrying a load of things or just plain with the intention of actually getting somewhere, I try to move so that we both have a clear path and don’t hit each other or each other’s items. It’s unfortunate that half the time I do, the oncoming person seems to drift right into my path, making my entire walk ten times more difficult. The bottom line is, watch where you’re going and try not to just float around like an aimless dandelion foof.
Snap out of it, meandering zombies.
Contact Tasha Cook, photo editor, at tcook15@jccc.edu.