Temple University Campus RepsChynna Mela is a senior journalism student at Temple University and an SC Campus Representative. She can usually be found planning her fall wedding to Harry Styles, attempting to become the female version of Perez Hilton, or eating peanut butter straight from the jar. See more posts from her here.
I once watched a video of Alexa Chung being interviewed where she explains that she can tell a lot about a person by just asking what time they wake up in the morning. Super early riser? Gym before work probably. Wakes up “whenever”? Creative career. It is a genius way to learn a bit more about a person. Well, I’m no Alexa Chung, but I have a fool proof guide to learning what type of person someone is too, and my method requires no questions at all. Simply observe where they sit in class. Really. In my 4, 5, okay FINE 5 1/2 years in college I have perfected the guide to where someone sits in class and what it says about them. When you choose your seat in class, choose wisely. You never know who may be watching. Also, please note that whatever seat you choose on the first day is your seat for the entire semester (especially in a smaller class). Do NOT be the person that takes someone else’s seat five weeks into class. It is the unspoken rule of class.
1. Front Row Center
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You LOVE school. Like, really, really LOVE school. You want the professor to not only know who you are, but favorite you in class. Forget actually doing the readings, you probably wrote the book in your spare time. I have a strange suspicion that this isn’t even your class, and you are just one of those people that attend random classes for fun (go binge watch a TV show on Netflix like a normal person for Pete’s sake). This is your 10th 8AM in your college career, and you take them on Fridays intentionally because you know most of your classmates will be too hungover for class which means you will get the professor all to yourself. If you sit front row center you probably don’t mind group projects either, and your project partners will adore you for doing the entire assignment yourself. As long as you get an A you don’t mind doing all the work (in fact you insist on it).
2. Front Row Side
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You are an athlete, or you are a person that tends to run late. Athletes sit front row side because their coach mandates all their players sit in the front and they despise this rule. The further they can sit to the side the better. Plus, they have missed 6 classes already this semester by the end of the first month due to games. They have to make sure the professor sees their face once and a while. People that run late do not sit front row side by choice. It is way too awkward to shuffle over people mid class (especially during a lecture), and TAs tend to do this annoying practice of being overly helpful and pointing to the empty seats in the front and whispering “There are plenty of seats up here!”. Yeah, I know. I can see them, and I DONT WANT THEM.
3. Aisle Seat
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You plan on dipping out of class the second your signature graces the attendance sheet. You either have way too much on your plate and you are off to complete an assignment for another class, have to go to work, or you are just one of those cocky people that insist that you can teach all the material to yourself. Do not try and pull the “Oh I need a left handed desk that is why I sit on the aisle” trick with me. I practically invented that trick and I see right through you.
4. Back Row Center
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Despite sitting in the back row you actually plan on paying attention and learning. You sit in the back mostly because having people behind you makes you self conscious and you don’t want any distractions. The professor knows who you are just as well as the students in the front because his eyes directly go center and back when he teaches. You’re a cool classmate to be around. You don’t mind whispering every now and then because you’re so far back the professor won’t hear, and you aren’t as incredibly uptight as those in the front.
5. Back Row Against the Wall
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You have ZERO intention of paying attention. You are doing work for another class, texting, or maybe trying to catch a quick nap during class. You shove yourself as close to the wall as humanly possible, and slink down in your chair enough to make you feel hidden from the entire room. This class probably isn’t for your major, and every time you come you complain about it.
6. Tables In the Back
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These are my favorite people. You come to class ready to camp out, and your backpack is the Mary Poppins bag of class. You always arrive to class early to secure your beloved back table seat, and always have food to munch on. The food you bring is not simple like and apple or a granola bar either. You mean business and bring a slice of pizza, a hoagie, or a dish of Chinese food to class (which will stink up the entire classroom of course) to gorge on. Once you are done eating the laptop or iPad comes out and the real fun begins. You are certainly not taking notes on your MacBook Pro, but reorganizing your wedding Pinterest boards, casually stalking people (your ex) on Facebook, or even watching Netflix with one earbud slickly hanging from your ear (I admire your bravery). 30 minutes into class your computer batter begins to die, and you shuffle through your massive bag for your charger without shame. Hey, at least you came to class.
7. Somewhere in the Middle
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You are an average joe. You aren’t the worst student, but you certainly aren’t the best either. You snack a little in class, text here and there, and just do the minimum to get by. You use your absences wisely and hit the exact number you are allotted. If you pass the class that is all that matters in your book.
8. Bed
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Class? What class? You attend class on exam days, to hand in assignments (on these days you are an aisle seater), and very occasionally to keep up appearances. Somehow you’ll still pass the class though. I can’t even be mad at it.
Where do you sit during class?
(Featured Image via sparqvault)