Students are all back on campus – something the university hasn’t seen in nearly two years. Everyone is readjusting and dusting the cobwebs of their social and collegial etiquette. 

With that being said, some social queues were lost due to COVID-19 and school being mainly online. If you’ve been here long enough you know what is and isn’t acceptable on campus. In case the underclassmen aren’t aware of some WKU unspoken rules, here are a few to remember…

Laundry 

Unless you live in PFT, only use ONE washer/dryer at a time. Most residential halls only have a handful of washers and dryers for the hundreds of students that live in the building. Please be aware that it’s not just you who needs to wash your clothes. Also- set a timer to know when your clothes are done. 

Sidewalk 

If your buddies are walking three-wide on the sidewalk, not to be dramatic but I hope you step on a lego… or ten. It’s nice to walk next to your friends between classes, but also keep in mind that other people will be walking too. The general consensus is two people maximum walking side by side. Your peers and professors will thank you for being sensitive to the needs of others.

Personal Space

When in the library, or pretty much anywhere in public, space out. There is a pandemic going on, but you should also just be respectful of people’s personal space. If you’re at the library by yourself, you want to be alone. Please don’t sit close to other people if you can help it. Being in someone’s bubble can distract them or make them uncomfortable, especially with the pandemic going on.

Crossing the Road

Only Freshmen look both ways before crossing the road… which is what you should do, but after your first year you will kick the habit. The desire for free college and the academic dread upperclassmen feel has left our campus with a systematic disregard for the rules of the road. This is a rite of passage for WKU students. Having absolutely no cares in the world as you walk out without looking if there are cars approaching, is a major part of the college experience. All jokes aside, please look both ways before crossing the street.

Bell Tower Legend

This one is more of a fun superstitious rule. Rumor has it that if you walk underneath Guthrie Bell Tower on South Lawn you won’t graduate. Of course, this is probably made up… but just to be safe maybe don’t walk under it.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with being a menace to WKU’s campus – there is still hope for you! Now that you’re aware of your faults, practice being more mindful of how your actions affect other students.

Commentary writer Rose Donnelly can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @RoseDonnelly_