Monday, November 11, 2019

What social convention baffles you?

I take attendance by having students answer a question.

What social convention baffles you? (previously I've asked this but don't seem to have blogged it)

Some responses were understandably baffling IMHO:
  • not putting elbows on table. why??
  • jaywalking >:(
  • why do people do absolutely stupid dares?
  • starting school at 8:30am
  • pretending to work 8 hours a day 5 days a week

Others were for pretty reasonable social conventions that (I hope) students actually do understand, they just... choose not to participate in... I guess?
  • small talk
  • lying
  • washing hands after using the restroom
  • sleeping
  • a lot of things, saying bless you? "thoughts & prayers"...
  • TikTok
  • most things young people do. Also, eating cereal as a meal. It's literally like eating chips as sustenance.
  • using chopsticks to eat chips, ice cream, etc.
  • talking to strangers


    Many students just outright want to be socially bizarre and asocial/prosocial in unusual ways. I get it. They're all great. I enjoy being in a community that intentionally accepts students who tend this way, and cultivates their eccentricities. College is fantastic and I'm extremely lucky that I never have to leave it.

    • social cues
    • socializing
    • quiet floors at Swat libraries
    • Swarthmore misery poker
    • asking "how are you" and always responding with "good, you?"
    • saying "how r u?" and not finishing interaction
    • socializing with people you don't like
    • pretending to GAF
    • "You should go outside once in awhile"
    This casts a pretty dark look at the mindset of students in my class. But more unusual and weird is what emerges from my favorites:
    • walking using two legs
    • everything
    • all of them I was raised in a barn
    • feudalism
    ... students are wonderful, unique balls of curious accumulated behaviors and thoughts and they are utterly, utterly fascinating. And apparently one was raised in a barn.


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