Are you ever walking down the school hallway just to find yourself trapped or blocked by people standing in the way? This is the opposite of halfway etiquette. Hallway etiquette means being respectful of other people in the hall, and it means being aware that other people need to get around you and to class. Having good hallway etiquette is very simple, and I have five tips to help you practice it.

Having a conversation with a friend? Move to the side of the hallway. I understand wanting to talk to you friends between classes, but when you and your friends are standing in a doorway, or right in the middle of the hallway, it can be rude and stop hallway traffic flow. Next time you and your friends want to chat, try walking to class together, to help encourage the hallway flow. Another tip is making sure that you and your friends aren’t clumping together in a circle in the hallway, try to line up in a way to prevent blocking other students.

Second, keep moving! Make sure you aren’t standing still in the middle of the hallway. When students stand still it can become very frustrating to fellow students as many people are coming out of classes at once. When someone stops it can make traffic and obstruct people who want to get to class.

Third, be mindful of your backpack. We are so used to only being aware of our bodies, so when we have on backpacks we are often unaware of how large it is or how it moves. Make sure when you are making quick movements that you are not accidentally smacking other people in the face, or bumping into people.

Fourth, consider your bathroom etiquette. In between classes people really got to go, and when you and your friends are taking up a stall to chat, or even just sitting on the floor, it prevents people from going to the bathroom who actually need to go. 

The last step of hallway etiquette is being kind. If someone needs to get through, let them, if someone bumps into you, don’t yell at them, as it was probably an accident. Being kind also means not commenting on other people in the hallway. Even if it’s not intended to mean, commenting about someone’s body, height or even making a joke like, “your shoes untied,” when they’re not, is just not kind.

Hopefully you have learned some helpful things about hallway etiquette and how to be mindful of other people. If I could sum up all the tips it would come down to one word: considerate. Be considerate of other people, don’t stand in the middle of the halls, don’t circle up with your friends blocking other people and be kind. Go Park!