I find this community to be extremely helpful - I posted a long rant and the feedback was extremely constructive and helped me get over something that was very hard on me. I feel this is a great place to discuss this, perhaps the only place.
Today in class (programming) I was excited to learn about circular doubly linked list.
First we went over circular singly linked list, and I was really getting into the material.
As we moved onto doubly linked, I noticed two students a few rows back (auditorium seating) start discussing their code.
The problem is the professor didn’t hear them because he speaks into a microphone and was explaining the code near his computer.
I was in the first row and tried to zone them out and listen to the professor but I could not hear anything the professor was saying. I take my education very seriously and I was really excited about what we were going to learn in class today - I missed that entire section of the lecture because they talked over it.
I don’t mind a quick explanation but one guy was explaining an entire program and long concepts in detail.
I waited and waited but they continued to rudely talk over the professor. Since I pay for this class and take it seriously, I found it extremely rude - so I turned around (After 4 full minutes of them talking) and shushed them loudly. I completely missed the section and the code was really complex and now I have to work twice as hard to understand it…
I have been thinking about this and was wondering if anyone had any similar experiences. I can’t help to think that I was in the wrong, but I couldn’t help myself. Have any of you experienced anything like this? What would you do in this situation?
I never took a CS class, but I feel like shushing people (talkers) all the time at the cinema.
But, yes, it is frustrating when you are trying to watch/listen to and concentrate on something, and others are either completely inconsiderate and don’t care that they are a distraction, or oblivious to the fact that they are. Regardless of their level of awareness, it’s incredibly annoying, and sometimes some shushing is in order. It can ruin the experience for people who are there to learn (or, in my case, people who are there to actually watch the movie).
Hopefully they learned a lesson and won’t be such a distraction in future lectures.
man I couldn’t agree more - during a movie would be even more frustrating, they are expensive and your time to relax…
You have any drive-ins around you? I am lucky enough to have one I love them because you are in the comfort of your own car.
Thanks for the reply I appreciate your perspective in the matter.
“Hopefully they learned a lesson and won’t be such a distraction in future lectures.” <- on point, I hope so too - if they want to talk them they could easily do so outside of class.
Personally, I’ve never done it because I’m too much of a wimp, but I really commend you! Just recently in my psych class, these boys that sit two rows behind me just started talking among themselves-- one of them was very loud too, not a good whisperer at all. Anyway, it was so annoying, and they were just going on and on… I could tell my professor was getting annoyed too, and after a few minutes she finally asked them to be quiet which I was greatly appreciative of.
So, the reason for this whole thing was to let you know that by shushing them, you probably did some of your classmates a favor… specifically those who were also trying to listen but were too afraid to say something. On their behalf and as someone who fears confrontation, I thank you for being the one to speak up.
You could also stop the lecturer, saying “I’m sorry, could you repeat that? I couldn’t hear you over the talking.” Remember, you are responsible for what was taught, whether you heard it or not.
It happens in the adult world all the time. Last week I was at a conference and the former director of a site was talking to the current director ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE PRESENTATIONS! (Not whispering, talking out loud.) For political reasons I couldn’t stop them, but I felt sorry for the presenters.
You are paying for your education and you have every right to politely minimize distractions. Way to go!
I read about a woman who shushed a man in a large lecture hall as a college freshman. It was in a blog about “How I Met my Wife/Husband”. They were married 35 years when she posted it!
great comments guys! I enjoyed reading everyone - thanks for the input, since then my class has been much better and the only talking I hear is from the professor. I felt bad at first but after reading the comment here I feel a lot better. I will use the technique @TQfromtheU mentioned I feel that is a perfect way to handle this situation if it happens again. @undercoverlover I feel the people around them who were trying to pay attention wanted to say something - it just frustrated me too much and I couldn’t handle it I was on the verge of anxiety. I usually would never do anything like that but I am starting to become glad I did - especially after the input here.
I’ve shushed people; it usually works because they’re so self-involved that they don’t realize they’re affecting other people and it’s a to-the-point wakeup. I don’t think I’d ask the teacher to repeat while saying “there’s so much talking going on” because that feels very passive aggressive to me.
I might go to the teacher after class and ask for a recap on the parts I missed, though.
I think a nice Miss Manner’s voiced, “Hey, guys, could you save the conversation for later because I can’t hear” is better than shushing, IMO. I’m not a fan of shushing. It seems too “mean librarian”.
@MotherOfDragons one time I went to my professor (a while back in trig) and asked to go over material I missed because people were talking - and he told me to “next time tell them to shut the hell up” lol - I feel shushing is very direct - but can be “mean librarian” as @doschicos mentioned - but sometimes you have to be a mean librarian otherwise people just talk in the library
@doschicos I feel turning around and saying something such as “Hey I can’t hear could you stop talking” - or what you said (what you said is perfect) - would be the better option, it just takes more courage I guess. I was thinking about all the different things to say - but the thought of turning around and making eye contact was scary and the shush kind of got the point across faster with less attention directed towards my direction.
When you learn to do it in the right tone of voice (which is the challenge to be sure!) it is very empowering and makes the talker look like the schmuck instead of you. It’s work practicing.
I’m for shushing in this situation. Shushing is faster. A full sentence just draws everything out and disturbs everyone longer. Maybe if you were sitting next to someone the sentence would be fine but having to turn around to a different row… SH!
I felt bad at first but after reading the comment here I feel a lot better. I will use the technique 