At times, certain students make going to class harder than it should be. Some students are distracting in class and unknowingly draw negative attention to themselves. They make going to class a burden for others. Their behaviors and clothing distract students from the learning experience.

Students need a few lessons in campus etiquette.

First off, it is bad etiquette to sit right next to someone when there are plenty of empty seats. It is creepy and raises awkward questions. If you really enjoy sitting next to unknown people, do not talk to them. You might reaffirm their suspicions that you are weird. No one took the class to make friends.

When in class, keep your participation to a minimum. Please do not tell little anecdotes about your personal life. I can guarantee no one gives a flying hoot about what your kids eat for lunch or that you were the captain of your town’s swim team. Also, no one enjoys listening to only one student’s ideas. Give other students a chance to participate.

Make sure lunch is eaten before class, especially if you feel the urge to sit right next to someone. Eating a hotdog, chips, a cookie and pop while taking notes in class is a real talent. However, it is distracting.

Not all students have bad etiquette in class, but some of the clothes they show up in say something else altogether.

Oddly enough, students think they are participating in a fashion show rather than going to school. There is no reason to doll yourself up for class. Save the stilettos and short skirts for the weekend. Unless you have a job that requires it, you do not need to wear a suit and tie. There is no need to impress anyone. Dress comfortably.

Another “fashion don’t” on campus is shiny, disco ball purses. Many females on campus are toting around these horrendous purses. They are large, obnoxious and feature huge sequins with iridescent colors. Not only are these purses ugly, but they can also cause epileptic seizures.

According to www.healthology.com, certain types of flashing lights can cause epileptic seizures. The sequins can appear to flash when the sun or another type of light hits them. The disco ball purse could possibly cause harm and should be banned.

Students not only endanger epileptic students with disco ball purses, they are also endangering themselves with cell phones. They constantly talk on their phones when driving, crossing the street and riding bikes. After four weeks of school, it should be obvious drivers on campus do not stop for pedestrians and bike riders. This is seen more often when the driver and the pedestrian both have a phone stuck to their ear.

Bike riders on campus need to ignore their phone while riding around. Many times, they do not watch where they are going and fall on the curb. As a result, they may end up getting run over by a cell phone-talking driver. Accidents on campus could be decreased if students stopped endangering themselves and others with their cell phones.

If students would practice better etiquette on campus, they would make getting an education easier, safer and less stressful than it was meant to be.

Columns reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of the Northern Star staff.