The Art of Walking

By Kevin Hart

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          Have you ever noticed that it’s an absolute nightmare to get from point A to point B in the halls of our school? Have you ever noticed that there’s always that one guy or girl who’s going against the flow of hallway traffic? We all have.
​           The thing is, the hallways and the way people navigate them is surprisingly similar to the laws of the road. Move at a pace not too fast, but not too slow, don’t veer onto the wrong side of the road, and don’t be a fool behind the wheel. However, many people have ignored these golden rules and end up making fools out of themselves by bumping into doors, or people.

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                 But you may ask yourself, why does this matter? It’s just a hallway, and you can easily push your way through traffic on the way to that sweet tray of cheese steak they have in the cafeteria. Hold on for one minute, friend. Habits and behaviors formed at one time of your life can transfer to other environments. If you create the habit of paying too much attention to that phone of yours, you’ll be paying too much attention to that phone of yours on the streets, or even worse, the road.
            According to a CNN article, researchers have found scientific evidence that it can be dangerous to text while walking. An honorary senior fellow at the University of Queensland said, “Texting, and to the lesser extent reading on your mobile phone affects your ability to walk and balance.” So, put the phone down, place it in your pocket and pay attention to the road up ahead.      
               Another factor that contributes to the traffic in our halls is how slowly people choose to walk. No, you shouldn't cause your heart to race as a result of jogging to class, but at least move at a steady pace! People who walk at a snail's pace just annoy people, period. The slow pace increases other students’ travel time to their classes, and it increases the likelihood of the culprit getting one nasty look.
              I asked our very own Editor-in-Chief, Steven Keehner his thoughts on those who walk extremely slowly and hold up the traffic. He explained, “As a walking connoisseur I take great pride in my walking. However, when I notice a fellow student that is disrupting the flow of the hallway, it uhh… it really irritates me.”
             Isabel Ramirez added, “I believe that a person can walk at any speed they want, as long as they aren’t causing problems amongst other pedestrians.”
            So, the take-away here is really simple. It’s imperative whether it be in the busy hallways of our school, or the streets of New York, to master “The Art of Walking.”