If there’s one thing I truly do not like about my morning commute on campus it’s the never-ending game of dodge the pedestrian.

It seems like on every corner crossroad on campus there is someone who doesn’t know the rules for crossing the road properly. Even worse, there are some students who don’t know about those wonderful white lanes painted on the roads called “crosswalks.” They’re supposed to use those in order to avoid being accidentally hit by commuters.

Many of my friends have complained about having their trip to classes rudely interrupted by someone who not only lacks the ability to wait for the light to turn in their favor, but also doesn’t have the common sense to look to see if someone’s driving by.

News flash for those who do this (and you know who you are): There are rules for crossing the street, and they are there to protect you.

Hang on to your butts, ladies and gentlemen, because I’m about to knock some first-class knowledge and common sense into your head. When the traffic light is green and traffic’s going your way, you cross. Make sure to check there are no cars that wish to make a right turn. If there is a green left-turn light, hold on to your shorts because you have to wait just a little longer. If the light is red, don’t cross the street. Those white lines with the stripes going down them are crosswalks; use them instead of crossing in the middle of the street. Walk to the intersection and then make your way to higher education.

Pretty simple tasks; not really a lot being asked from you here. Take heed of my advice and it might save your life and keep the blood pressure of commuters at a more controllable level.

I understand people need to get to class and they might be taking these shortcuts in order to avoid being absent or having to do the walk of shame when they arrive late. My biggest advice for those people is to exercise a little something that we’re taught about when we’re young: responsibility. Wake up five minutes earlier so that you can wait for the red light to turn green. Make sure that you are not texting when you approach an intersection. Look both ways before you cross the road, especially if you feel the sudden urge to play human Frogger and ignore the traffic light.

The pedestrian has the right of way, which is a known fact, but if you’re in such a hurry to get to class you should stop to consider that maybe the people driving to class are also running late. If the driver fails to check to make sure someone is actually waiting on the freaking sidewalk, well, I can assure you that whether it’s a small two-door or a huge Ford F-150, the car will certainly win the game of who gets smashed and who gets to class.