Let me begin by saying that this article is long overdue. I apologize for the tardiness but the message I am about to convey is in need of serious attention as it affects the daily lives of many students on campus. I do not mean to attack people directly in this article, but I aim to share an opinion, held by many, in the Whitworth community that Saga is not the place to be loud.
Picture yourself on a “good” day. You wake up and the sun is out. You are feeling good about your classes and about how you did on yesterday’s test. Lunchtime rolls around for you and so you decide to head to Saga because a) you are hungry, and b) you heard that they are serving quesadillas, three styles of lasagna and Sodexo’s best: orange chicken. You and your friends find a place to sit and begin having a pleasant conversation about the sun and your weekend plans of hiking and going to nearby coffee shops when out of nowhere someone yells goodbye to their friend across the entire dining hall.
What are you feeling?
Although you may have thought it was funny or shrugged it off the first few times, what about when it happens for every lunch and every dinner you innocently attend in Saga? And remember, that was you on a “good” day; imagine yourself on a snowy day or after you found out you failed your test – now how do you feel? The part of this scenario that is most compelling is the reality of the experience: you don’t have to imagine it – you experience it almost every day and every meal. There is simply no need for any of this noise: it is annoying, it is unnecessary, and it does nothing but put everyone else’s conversations on hold so that the loud people can be annoying. News flash: it’s not all about you.
Students and faculty and touring visitors come to eat in Saga to get a taste of Whitworth, enjoy the company of their friends, and get a quick, uninterrupted bite to eat and head to the next stressful class or test. Saga is meant to be a peaceful community within the Whitworth community that calls for an average volume of noise, respect for the needs and wants of others and not obnoxious noise or yelling across the cafeteria. Yelling and laughing loudly is ridiculous and only seeks personal attention that makes everyone negatively view those being loud.
For those of you reading this who are the loud ones, please stop. Have you ever taken into account the idea that others want to enjoy their conversations without you always yelling or drawing attention to yourself? There are places all around campus for being loud. The Loop or anywhere outside is a wonderful place to test your vocals and be obnoxious to unknowing passersby. Anywhere off campus works well too. Even your room or the Back 40 is a wonderful place for loud handshakes and laughing until you run out of breath. Once again, please stop. You are respected as a person and as an individual but Saga is not the place for you as a loud person to exercise the extent to how loud you can be.
Contact Ein Huie at [email protected]
Music Man • Mar 22, 2018 at 7:21 am
I agree! I’m a musician who pours thousands of dollars into my education. My ears are my most important asset, and I actively protect my hearing. Please don’t turn our cafeteria into your own private screaming match. It’s unnecessarily loud, damaging, and disruptive.
Gavin Gervais • Mar 21, 2018 at 7:26 pm
I’m glad somebody finally said something about this. It gets pretty old hearing it from the same people for every single meal.
Jasmine Doe • Mar 12, 2018 at 3:49 am
First of all, this is not an issue that affects the daily lives of many students at Whitworth. If you are going to write a pointless article, make sure you actually have your facts right, and you and your friends are not the student population. Second of all do not say this is in need of serious attention, there are more important issues to talk about. Also it is absolutely hilarious that you think saga is the place to go after a bad test and to be sad and to be silent. Saying that the people being loud interrupts your conversation and puts it on hold is absolutely false and hilarious. If you want this type of boring quietness maybe go to coffee shop and write about actual important articles. If someone enjoying their meal and being loud bothers you this much and affects your life, it sounds like you might need some help like counseling. I will make sure to tell the people that are loud to continue to be them and encourage others to be loud as well, because this is so stupid.
Meghan Maleng • Mar 12, 2018 at 6:12 am
Firstly, this is something that affects many people. Maybe not within your group of people, but in others it does. Secondly, there are more important issues, so maybe you can start that conversation and talk to The Whitworthian about posting it (legitimate idea, not intended to be taken negatively). Thirdly, people need food, and since we can’t take food out anymore, those people who are in bad moods don’t have the option of leaving with something in their hand. They have to stay. Fourthly, it does interrupt conversations when you can hear it from all areas of Saga. It might not bother you, but it bothers other people. Being quiet is not boring, neither is being loud fun (in most situations). Volume does not equal fun. Laughing and having a good time with friends is great. But unnecessary yelling is just that, unnecessary. Finally, assuming someone needs counseling because they don’t like loud noises is just rude. Asking them to not yell in Saga is not asking them to not be themselves. As a tour guide I’ve had parents and prospective students ask what the yelling was for. Answering back with “it’s their handshake” and having them awkwardly smile at you, or worse, tell you that it made them uncomfortable is not how you want your school to be remembered. He isn’t asking them to be silent all the time, he’s asking them to not yell when it’s unnecessary and makes people uncomfortable.
Blair KB • Mar 12, 2018 at 6:46 am
I have nothing wrong with people being themselves and having a fun conversation with the occasional raise of the voice. However, when I can’t even hear the person who is sitting right across from me but I can hear those being really loud across the hub, that is sort of a problem. When we have prospective students and parents eating their meals and hear some kid shouting across the hub, they are going to view Whitworth as a rude and inconsiderate institution. There are social standards that most people hold and that includes inside voices. What is the need for someone to shout across the hub for their conversation when they can just walk over and talk in regular voices? The writer isn’t saying to stop all conversation, they’re just saying know to use your inside voices in a place where there are many people; to be considerate of those around you because you don’t know their story and how could they even tell their story if someone is yelling in their ear?
John Doe • Mar 13, 2018 at 6:37 pm
Ah Jasmine again. Hey it’s John. Allow me to make some points. When I enter the meal hall, I personally have no problems with the loudness, it is acceptable and it seems like you agree. However, there tends to be times I have noticed where certain people are much much louder than anyone else, and it’s a very few amount of people. Do I think the writer of this article should have just reached out to the people personally? Yes. However, I have heard that people have reached out to them on multiple occasions and still, the same things continue to happen. I feel Blair KB makes a good point. We have a lot of prospective students in there and when we have people doing ridiculous handshakes and making excessive noise it makes our school look childish and immature. I have no problem with you disagreeing with that. What I have a problem with is that you would personally attack the writer of this article, particularly behind a hidden name. Look at the section this article is under: Opinion. From what I’m aware Whitworth’s goal is to breed a culture of inclusivity to all and here you are calling someone stupid and saying they should go see counseling. That is just troubling. Again, this is an opinion piece article. If you have a problem with the article that fine, but don’t you dare judge someone’s character for what they personally think. Especially behind a hidden name.
Jasmine Doe • Mar 12, 2018 at 3:29 am
um seriously, this is a stupid article and you are a stupid person.
John Doe • Mar 13, 2018 at 6:22 pm
Calling someone stupid based off of an OPINION article is a stupid thing to do. I appreciate the anonymous user name that allows you to be ruder than you’d ever be in real life. Allow me to do the same.
Jamie Doe • Mar 12, 2018 at 3:27 am
excuse me, but if you are having bad day, go to your room or hang out with friends, saga is not a counseling center or library. it a place for SOCIALIZING