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Unspoken rules about seating on the first few days of class

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Bluelighter
Joined
Oct 21, 2005
Messages
482
I notice that usually after a day or so of class people will sit in the same seat. The problem is I've had 2 classes so far and in each one I haven't sat next to anyone cool. I want to be able to try at least once or twice more per class but don't want to weird anyone out that I just took the spot of their friend or themselves. Not that I care too much but still I rather not.

In your opinion, after how many days of class has gone by is it appropriate to change seats (given of course that the teacher doesn't have a seating chart).

In my opinion, I'd say people on the 3rd day of class have their seats, but I think a good many stick to the seats on day 1 (which is annoying)
 
Uh---my school doesn't have anything like that
And I just ask---anyone sitting here?
Where in god's name do you go to school---it sounds like high school again

I sit wherever, but usually in the same area---back left or back right
 
just sit wherever. people tend to sit in the same place out of habit, but really it's a first-come first-serve type thing. and other people will probably be happy to meet someone cool, too.
 
from the sociological perspective, if you take someone else's seat, it's violating a norm.

i tend to go early to pick my favorite spot in the room, and i will get miffed if someone takes it the next class period. granted, i'd give it a class period or two. ;)
 
Although we didnt have defined seating arrangements (like highschool), people did sit in their usual spots throughout uni. But sometimes we used to play jokes on the students who always sat upfront (we were up the back). They would always come to class so early to get that front seat. Well anyhow during some lectures (usually after a morning class when we were already there) we would turn up real early and take up the whole front row :). Well needless to say when the normal frontrowers turned up they wernt too happy, but eventually came around and had a laugh… they took the second row. =D

But as randycaver said, you do get used to sitting where you normally do, and if you turn up to class and someone else is taking your spot, well you weren’t too happy. Maybe it makes it easier also because if you need to speak to someone (or throw something at them) you always knew where they were in class. I also found towards the end of my undergrad people just sat anywhere they wanted but as I was always late I just had to take whatever seat available.

Also, just because you didn’t meet anyone on the first few days, you have years left. You’ll meet people throughout uni so I wouldn’t be too worried.
 
I noticed this recently also - after the first 2 or 3 sessions of the class people usually sit in the same seat and if not definitely in the exact general area, everyday. I do it, we all do it.

Get there early if you have a preference. Otherwise you really have no claim to 'your' seat (but like i said it'll probably be empty cause everyone's got their seats;))
 
Excellent topic! I find this to be a problem in smaller classrooms. My problem is that I stake out my favorite position, and then come to find that I would rather sit near another group of people because I'm not hitting it off with the locals. At this point in time, its 3 classes in and I feel like sitting somewhere else would fuck with someones establishment there.

I myself understand the comfort of habit. I am a bit on the nervous side in group settings so I like to nest somewhere to reduce unnecessary adjusting and the anxiety of something unfamiliar. It sounds like a lot of thought processes but its just a simple habit to makes life easier for me.
 
I would just take a seat and not think anything of it. if it really ruins someone's day that you took their seat, than that person is probably in for a bad day anyways. I personally don't really care who I am sitting next to.
 
people tend to sit in the same general area, but in some classes ill randomly sit where ever. i dont think people will get mad about where you sit, that seems a little immature
 
Haha.

Seating For "HIGH SCHOOL" classes?

Because in college, I could really care less. So many other deadlines...

I usually just sit anywhere, if someone says something I acknowledge their attempt to sit where I have already sat down, and kindly ask them to excuse themself. :p
 
The only rule I follow for seating is a self imposed one: Come 5 minutes late and then sit next to the hottest girl that doesn't look like she dragged her bf w/ her.

;)
 
All my classes are in 250+ seat lecture halls so it really doesn't matter exactly where I sit. My friends and I usually sit in the same general area sometimes a row ahead sometimes a row behind, it really doesn't matter. If I show up late I sit where ever there is space, or next to a cute girl.

I do have a friend who is partial to 1 particular seat in a classroom. We have the "pew" style bench seats in a room. The seat next to his has the "writing surface" removed so its basically a two seat space with only 1 writing area. So he dumps his gear in the empty space. Aside from him the only people who are partial to a particular seat are those who are lefthanded and need the lefthanded writing surface on the seat at the left end of the isle.

Do most of you sit in lecture halls or actually sit in class rooms?
 
I rarely sit in lecture halls, generally all my class are held in your typical 'classroom' setting. I find that the smaller and more structured a classroom setting it is, the harder it is to change your seat after the first few days of class. In my limited experience, it is moreso the higher level classes that are led in a Socratic way where the 'assigned seat' issue becomes a problem. If we ever break into groups or have large discussions, though you may arrange the desks in a circle, your neighbors may not be on the same level... this, has ruined some what-could-be great class sessions for me.
 
^^^
You guys actually have movable seats in a class room? In the "classroom type" classrooms we have, all the seats are connected by a long bar on the bottom. I can't remember the last time I sat in a class with independently mobile seats.

One of the smallest classes I took (20th century lit) had about 40 kids in it. This was the only class that had the unwritten seating rule, of course attendance was mandatory (don't know why) and the prof passed out a seating chart where we wrote our names in the spaces that corresponded with our seat.

The first day of that class I showed up late, and sat at the back, naturally I found the most attractive girl in the class and the next class I sat in the seat next to her. So there I am sitting down waiting for this other girl to show up so I can strike up a conversation when the girl whose seat I'm in walks in and tells me to move over one. So not wanting to seem like a jerk I oblige her request. And that became my seat for the remainder of the year.
 
people, by nature, are territorial. i definitely notice that people generally choose about the same seats each class. but we all also feel comfortable in different areas. personally, i'd rather sit next to a wall towards the back of the class. i'd be so uncomfortable in the front or in the middle of the room!

but it's totally ok, i think, to change your seat each time. it's not like there are officially assigned seats or anything.
 
I think people sit in the same seat because people love to fall into a routine. If you sit in diff seats everyday might make some people uncomfortable; familiar surroundings make a person at ease. It also takes a littel extra cognitive effect each day to think "damn, where should I sit today? Hmm, sit up front to better hear the prof, or sit in back and stare at the fine women in front of me (at least I do)"
It does annoy though when people sit in the EXACT same seat in big lecture halls. And when you sit in someone's seat and they give you a strange look when they realize you are there.
 
^^^
I tend to sit near the back for that very reason. When the lecture gets boring/dry I have plenty of scenery to occupy my mind.
 
My buddy dave gets off on going to class early and taking people's seats. He is a wierdoe.
 
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