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The Corydon

Road Rage While Walking

Photo+of+students+walking+on+Millikans+campus.
Saige Tolentino
Photo of students walking on Millikan’s campus.

Have you ever walked around campus and been cut off? Ever been stuck behind a group of slow walkers with no way to get around them? 

Millikan is a crowded and busy campus, which makes walking to your destination a frustrating experience filled with “road rage” at how people are in your way or making you late to class. 

It’s easy to get annoyed by this inconvenience, so when out walking around campus, slow walkers should consider the others around them and move out of the way. 

One of the busiest places on campus is under the 900 building and the quad, which is hard to avoid when you’re walking across campus. With so many students in one place, getting stuck is a common occurrence. Ashton Alexander, a SEGA senior, states, “When you’re walking in the quad, there’s a lot of slow people. I just want them to get out of my way.”

Photo of groups of students walking to class during passing period. (Sofia Matin)

“People just don’t have a sense of urgency I guess,” says Alexander.

Many students walk while staring at their phone and do not notice where they’re going or how slow they’re walking. This is especially irritating for students who are trying to get to a class during passing periods, which are only seven minutes long.

“That’s when it gets the most frustrating,” states Stephanie Rivera, a PEACE senior. “Let’s say you’re late and you’re trying to get to class and there’s kids that don’t even care. That’s annoying.”

When walking with friends or listening to music, it’s easy to get absorbed into your own world and forget that others are there. This is something even I am guilty of. This is why although it may not always be possible, staying aware of your surroundings and moving out of people’s way can help others.

Taking the time to look up from your phone when walking, moving to one side of the sidewalk instead of taking up the whole space, and even just being polite can greatly help out other students trying to get to their classes.

Rivera states, “Sometimes you can just walk around them, but sometimes when they’re covering the whole hallway, it’s frustrating.” 

After a long day of school, walking across campus and getting stuck is the last thing anyone wants. Looking out for your fellow students and acknowledging others’ right to use the sidewalk is a simple way to improve each other’s day.

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About the Contributor
Allyson Richter
Allyson Richter, Feature Editor
Hi! My name is Allyson Richter and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I'm the Feature Page Editor for the Millikan Corydon and I'm a junior in QUEST. This is my second year on the Corydon, and I'm excited to continue writing.

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  • M

    Mason VanderburgApr 11, 2024 at 1:30 pm

    When I saw the title for this article I immediately clicked it knowing I would be able to relate to it. I cannot remember the last time that I walked to class where I didn’t have to weave my way through clustered groups of students. I think that our passing periods are long enough that even with the groups of students we are still able to get to class, but it doesn’t make this issue any less frustrating. I do understand that we do not get much time to socialize with our friends at school, but there are much better ways to do it than standing in the hallways. This would not be an issue if these groups would stand far to the sides of the walkways and keep a clear path open, but unfortunately that does not seem like a reality which will happen any time soon. This article was well written and ultimately brings light to an issue that most of us have suppressed due to how much we experience it.

    Reply
  • O

    Olivia HanniffApr 11, 2024 at 1:24 pm

    Richter’s article elaborates the topic of slow walkers at Millikan High School. Richter does an excellent job on the flow of her text, by starting with the issue and giving direct evidence, then ending with her own counterargument and a solution to the issue. Furthermore, I applaud Richter for adding direction quotes from Millikan students because this furthers the credibility of the text. Since the topic takes place at Millikan High School, it was vital to include accounts of students and how they feel when they are rushing or behind slow walkers. Similarly, I admire Richter’s account of her own experiences walking around Millikan High School and admitting that she can also be part of this issue. This provides the reader with an explanation for slow walkers or a chance for the reader to connect to the author. Although Richter adds her own account, I wish there would be other quotes from people who walk seemingly slowly to provide another perspective on the cause of the issue. As a whole, Richter executes her thesis well by adding direct evidence and a personal connection.

    Reply
  • L

    Lilly AlexanderApr 11, 2024 at 11:43 am

    This article talks about slow walkers on campus. Allyson does a good job introducing the topic by starting with questions. This helps to engage the reader into the article and make them wonder what Richter’s opinion is about slow walkers on campus. Richter does a good job by giving a solution to this problem right in the introduction by saying slow walkers should be more considerate of others and move out of the way. The people Richter interviews help to support her opinion about slow walkers on campus. By providing other people’s opinions, she helps to support hers by showing that there are more than a few people who think slow walkers should be more considerate. Richter also does a good job explaining why people would be annoyed at slow walkers. By doing this, Richter shows that people aren’t mad at slow walkers for no reason but instead it’s because people don’t want to be late to their classes. I like how Richter acknowledges that she is also at fault for walking slow sometimes, this helps to show she understands why other people would be walking slow. She does a good job finishing the article by saying how being considerate of others will work out for everyone.

    Reply
  • J

    Jacob BinderApr 11, 2024 at 11:11 am

    This article highlights something that I have noticed since I first came here to Millikan. Generally, I am a fast walker, so this is an issue I have in a lot of places, but it is the worst at school. Some people who are walking with their friends block the whole hallway or whole path, along with walking at record slow speeds. Usually I have to end up going around on the grass or having to cut across a bunch of people walking just because these people cannot walk faster or just give people more space. That is one problem, the other being people on their phone. I am sometimes guilty of this, but when I am walking while on my phone, I look up every couple seconds to make sure I do not run into anything or I am not walking too fast or slow. I am aware of my surroundings nine times out of ten and this is not the case for a lot of other people, but it is much more manageable than people walking with their friends. It is easier to get around them since it is usually just one person who is on their phone walking slow, but it just disrupts the walking traffic. As I said before, this is something that has been on my mind since I first got to Millikan and this article does a pretty good job of describing the issue along with getting students perspectives on it.

    Reply
  • A

    Anna TruongApr 11, 2024 at 11:10 am

    On March 27, 2024, Allyson Richter wrote an article titled “Road Rage While Walking”. Allyson Richter writes an article about how students at Millikan High School have sidewalk “road rage” at other slow peers. The article brings in two perspectives to strengthen the argument that slow walkers should move aside and make way for other students. The first perspective is by Ashton Alexander who is a SEGA senior, Alexander says, “‘People just don’t have a sense of urgency I guess,’” (Richter). Which I wholeheartedly agree with, being someone who doesn’t like to be tardy to class, I wish people could walk faster so I could also get to where I need to be. Allyson Richter also brings in a few reasons why these students may be walking so slow. Looking at their phone, talking with their friends, or listening to music are a few ways some Millikan students get absorbed into their own world and forget that they’re on the sidewalk. I feel that students looking on their phone is quite dangerous as not being aware of surroundings could make you walk into a pole or into a person. Another perspective of a student is from Stephanie Rivera, a PEACE senior, who says, “‘Let’s say you’re late and trying to get to class and there’s kids that don’t even care. That’s annoying’” (Richter). This sidewalk “road rage” is something that I can relate heavily to, the slow walking population at Millikan seems to grow by the day and I can’t help but be annoyed every time there is someone slow in front of me. Overall, Richter’s article about students’ sidewalk “road rage” beautifully depicts how students feel on a day to day basis, and how it can be prevented when slower students step aside to make way for others.

    Reply
  • V

    Vickie LamApr 11, 2024 at 9:45 am

    This caught my attention immediately! It truly does get frustrating walking behind people and they are going as slow as a snail. It is especially frustrating when it is a group of friends who are walking in front of you. I understand that people want to catch up but the bell has rung, go to class! I personally like to keep a good record of no tardys, and if it doesn’t matter to some people then please step off to the side. The article also says that students are on their devices while walking, which is pretty dangerous as it distracts the person and they have zero awareness of their surroundings. The sidewalks by the locker rooms and 400 buildings have lines separating the left and right side but no one is using it as it’s intended. It is also sometimes hard to pass by these areas. As a somewhat small (average size) person, it is uncomfortable having to squeeze between groups of people. I am so glad that this situation was brought up and few other students also agree that this is a problem. I’m just hoping people will be a little bit more considerate and walk just a bit faster. Thank you for this article. It was good to let out my thoughts on this matter.

    Reply
  • R

    Raquel EscamillaApr 11, 2024 at 9:38 am

    The article’s title stood out to me because this topic is something I mention everyday. I relate to this article because it gets frustrating trying to get to class or a certain place on campus and being stuck behind people. I get that some people don’t have the urgency to go to class but they can at least move to the side and not take up the entire hallway. I think that students being stuck in there own little bubble really does add to the traffic during passing periods. I enjoyed how Richter added quotes from students, it made me realize that other students don’t enjoy being stuck behind people. I think that some students don’t realize how big our campus actually is and how long it takes for people to get to class, which is why
    I enjoyed how the author added the time limit we have to get to our classes. Overall I thought this article was very interesting and informative.

    Reply
  • R

    Ryan HarlockerApr 11, 2024 at 9:33 am

    The article touches on the fact that one of the main concerns here at Millikan is our overcrowded campus mixed with slow walkers. I myself have experienced the frustration of being caught behind one person, or even as many as a whole group of people with, as the article states, “no sense of urgency”. I feel as though this is extra frustrating when you are in an environment where the day is strictly routine with structured blocked-out times of when and where you need to be. I appreciate how the author interviews multiple students on campus because it really sheds light on the fact that multiple people see this problem as well and vocalize it. However on the dual side, I took note of how the author touches on the fact that we have all at least once on campus been the perpetrator of this epidemic. Although this is frustrating, I’m sure I have also been the person in someone’s way before. All in all, I think as a collective if we could all be a little more socially aware of those around us the flow of “traffic” would be a lot more smooth.

    Reply
  • S

    Stevie SheridanApr 11, 2024 at 9:24 am

    On March 27, 2024, Allyson Richter wrote an article titled “Road Rage While Walking”. In this article, Allyson talks about the issue that many people face while walking around campus. Slow walkers and the frustration that comes with walking around the Millikan campus. I really enjoyed this article because I know that personally this is a very frustrating issue, so it’s nice to see how others are also affected by this and it’s not just me. I am constantly frustrated by slow walkers, people not paying attention, or people just stopped in the middle of the way. It is very hard to get around them when you are in a rush and trying to get to class. This is the worst when it’s raining or right after it rains, everyone is afraid of puddles and people are crowding under the buildings to try and not get wet. I completely agree with Allyson when she says that people who tend to walk a little slower should look up from their phone, or be aware of their surroundings in general. I think this is a very good article because it brings attention to people walking slowly and not paying attention. I think that this article, if read by slow walkers, could make them realize that maybe they have been doing this unintentionally.

    Reply
  • K

    Kailyn KhamkhensouvannApr 11, 2024 at 9:21 am

    The title of the article was the first thing that caught my attention. Aside from the compelling title, the article itself was short and straight to the point, yet there was enough depth for me to relate to its content. I also find it a “frustrating experience,” as Allyson puts it, to walk through Millikan while navigating through the crowds. Being faced with slow walkers and people blocking the narrow walkways makes it difficult at times, especially for those in a rush. I think the way she described the frustration of this universal experience really connects to those who have experienced the same. However, sometimes I find myself doing the same thing: walking slowly, staring at my phone, or walking while listening to music. The only thing I can suggest is not to stop using your phone, but to be mindful of those around you. It can be as simple as staying to the side to let others pass. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this article and found it a good read.

    Reply
  • P

    Phoebe MichalczakApr 10, 2024 at 1:26 pm

    The title of this article caught my eye because I can relate to feeling annoyed while being stuck behind slow walkers when I’m trying to get to class and it’s interesting to see that many other students feel the same way. Although passing periods definitely give us adequate time to get to our next class and most of the time I have no reason to be rushing to class, a bit more urgency from some people walking around campus would be nice. I think people walking while looking at their phones is one of the major causes but I also understand that many students are just less worried about getting to class on time. I think people should be more aware of their surroundings and if they see that they are getting in someone’s way, they should pick up the pace or move.
    Overall, this article provided interesting information and opinions on a shared experience between many of the fast walkers at this school.

    Reply
  • E

    Ethan Barnhart-RossApr 10, 2024 at 1:21 pm

    On March 27, 2024, Allyson Richter, wrote an article titled “Road Rage While Walking”. This was a very good article about how slow some people walk which is annoying to those who would like to get around campus faster. I relate to this article a lot because I am constantly annoyed about people walking slow in the halls and having to go around them. This is especially true when it was just raining that day and the grass is all muddy and you just want to get home and someone is walking super slow and you have to step into the muddy grass to go around them, not that that’s ever happened to me of course. I like how this article also had quotes from students who are also bothered by this because I previously thought it was just a me thing. one thing I think could improve this article would be including quotes from slow walkers about why they walk slowly. Is it because they don’t notice, don’t care, just don’t want to get to class too soon? I think it would be interesting to find out. Overall this was a well written article about something that bothers me regularly.

    Reply
  • D

    Daniel FloresApr 10, 2024 at 11:01 am

    This article was very interesting because I was able to connect to the article because there’s been many times where I’ve been caught in traffic during passing periods and even at lunch. I liked that the author took their time to interview students to get their opinions on how traffic around school affected them. I enjoyed reading the article because it’s something that affects me daily and the topic was very interesting because now I know that I’m not the only person that is affected by this traffic. I also liked that the article also provided photo evidence of how bad the traffic gets throughout Millikan during the passing periods because it shows people that haven’t experienced this traffic just how bad it can get. Amazing job to the feature editor Allyson Richter and also all the people that took their time to obtain the photos used in the article! Great article, I’m looking forward to the next.

    Reply
  • E

    Eric CarranzaApr 10, 2024 at 9:27 am

    Dear Corydon Editor,

    On March 27 2024, Allyson Richter wrote an article titled “Road Rage While Walking”. This article was enjoyable to read and had a good hook in the beginning to grab the attention of the reader. I felt like I was able to relate to the article along with several other people because people getting in the way of where I am trying to go is something I experience and can be frustrating. But I am also guilty of being unaware when walking around campus and I may get in the way of others as well, so this article opened my eyes by using quotes of other students to get an insight on their feelings. Along with the quotes, there was also a picture included of an area that I walk by often, and it does get quite crowded. So now moving forward, I will try to be more conscious of others who are trying to quickly get to class or their destination, because I understand the struggle.

    Reply
  • I

    Izabella GonzalezApr 10, 2024 at 9:18 am

    The writing gave an insight to a problem many students are struggling with throughout school days. It was reassuring to see your writing and the problem you bring up. It was especially nice to see how you take into consideration the timing students have to get to and from class which really brought out the perspective of being stuck and frustrated.
    I enjoyed how you included statements from students around campus. It was very reassuring to see other students deal with this issue aswell and to now understand your not alone with the frustration of crowds as many other students getting to class also feel the same way.
    The way you worded the commentary towards the students to stop traffic jams was very nicely written, you got your point across and gave them ideas of how to stop the crowded hallways during rush hour.

    Reply
  • D

    Danyela BrilliantApr 10, 2024 at 9:18 am

    In her article, she talks about how crowded Millikan’s campus is with so many kids here. She also gets some other people’s opinion on this road rage while walking around campus. Allyson states exactly how most other people feel, that it can be very frustrating when walking behind people who are walking a lot slower than you are when you have somewhere you really need to be. Yes, each person walks at a different pace and that is completely okay, but don’t walk right in the middle of a big hallway or area when you are walking slower, especially if you know it. Think of it like you are driving on the freeway, the big massive trucks that are carrying the big containers tend to stay all the way to the right because people know that the right lane is usually for the slower cars, like the trucks, so they stay out of the way of others who are trying to go faster.
    Some of the people that Allyson asked said that it can be very frustrating and annoying, especially if it is a whole group of friends that is taking up the whole walkway. Just learn to look up and know your surroundings and then you won’t cause the road rage or be the one who is angry.

    Reply
  • N

    Natalia AvinaApr 10, 2024 at 9:15 am

    It feels as though people don’t have a sense of urgency when getting to their destination, which annoys people who are in a hurry to attend class on the other side of campus. It’s quick for us to assume that they’re being absorbed in their own world and devices, not considering the people around them. But maybe that’s the complete opposite. There’s a possibility that slow walkers naturally walk at a slow pace or are enjoying the scenery around them. Or maybe the person is in a hurry because they woke up too late and are putting their frustrations on other people. I’m guilty of this as well. I think generally we must all find a balance between being considerate of others and embracing our own walking speed.

    Reply
  • L

    Lainey ChanApr 10, 2024 at 9:15 am

    Allyson does an amazing job of writing an enticing and compelling piece. The article is quite engaging and relatable. It is important to bring awareness to these types of issues. “Road rage” on campus is something we have all experienced at least once. Being late to class because of someone else is probably the most annoying thing. It is okay to walk slowly but allow people to walk around and don’t take over the whole space. The way the Millikan campus is designed, does not include large walk ways so it is urged to be considerate of other people. Some people have to walk from the 200 building to the 800 building and the last thing people want is to be held up because of slow walkers. Like the article states, just be considerate of other people and stay aware of your surroundings.

    Reply
  • K

    Kate GoldsworthyApr 10, 2024 at 9:14 am

    The author begins the article by asking a question that I am sure many Millikan students can answer yes to: “Ever been stuck behind a group with slow walkers with no way to get around them?” This immediately grabbed my attention and made me feel seen, as I am one of the many people who gets extremely frustrated by the slow walkers. I appreciate how the author gave reasoning to people being horrible walkers, as they are on their phones while they walk. It makes them extremely disconnected from the world around them and inconsiderate to the other walkers around them. I appreciate that the author mentioned how students have a limited amount of time to get to class and it’s difficult to accomplish this with such incompetent walkers. Additionally, I appreciate that the author gathered quotes from various students to listen to their perspective on the matter. However, I find it interesting that no one admits to being a slow or distracted walker. I wonder if “Road Rage” has been a problem at Millikan lately and that is what inspired the author to write this article. However, maybe this is an issue that should be addressed at the beginning of the year so that all the incoming students know the expectations for walking around campus. Overall, this was an excellent article that truly addresses one of the biggest problems at Millikan: slow walkers.

    Reply
  • H

    Hayley SkibinskiApr 10, 2024 at 9:10 am

    I could definitely relate to the contents of this article–being that I get very frustrated on how slow people walk on campus. It doesn’t help that walkways are so narrow and there are so many students trying to get through that these passages easily get clogged up. I know several instances where people even stop in the middle of hallways to look behind them or are too busy on their phones. It’s extremely frustrating considering I sometimes bump into those said people and they look at me as if it was my fault. The lack of awareness in students on campus is prominent when you can see them clumping up under the 900, blocking the openings and overall being in the way. It’d be best if people could just consider other people’s personal space a bit better, because I know when trying to get to class and slow walkers are blocking the way is aggravating. Specifically when you’re already almost late or if your class is on the opposite side of campus (a whole other can of worms to open up), and there are inconsiderate students trudging to their next class not caring about other people’s time. I believe students should be more aware of other people and their time, even if it’s not their business. This point should be human decency on campus, and students should at least have a little bit of empathy.

    Reply