Crinkle,crunch, munch, smack, slurp, crackle, chomp, chew, chew, chew.
Eating in class can be a necessity to some students who are always on the go. Others need a snack or two in order to stay awake or retain focus on the professor. The fact of the matter is, if students need to eat during class time, good manners and etiquette are a must.
Crystal Guevara, 22, a senior from Washington, D.C., said eating in front of peers makes her self-conscience.
[/media-credit]- Should students be allowed to chow down in class?
“I don’t eat food in class because I know a lot of professors have problems with it,” Guevara said. “Even in large classes I don’t want to be distracting and bother other people. I would only feel comfortable eating in class if someone else brought food in for the class.”
Cheri Preston, 19, a sophomore from Burley, Idaho, said eating during lectures helps save time and stay focused on the subject material.
“Most of the time I eat in class because I’m hungry and I haven’t had a chance to eat my lunch yet,” Preston said. “Sometimes I eat to try to stay awake. I’ll have a granola bar and I’ll tell myself I can’t eat it until half way through class, and if I make it to the half way mark without falling asleep or starving to death then I’ll eat the granola bar, and it helps me make it the rest of the way through class.”
Cheri Preston understands that for some students, there is a definite need to eat during that time.
“I know there are some people who have class all day without a chance for a lunch break, and to say that they can’t eat in class is ridiculous,” Preston said. “I know there are health issues that require people to eat to control diabetes, and other health limitations. So I can understand why a person would need to eat in class.”
Scott Church, an adjunct professor in the Communications Department, said eating in his class is fine as long as students follow certain guidlines.
“Class decorum is important,” Church said. “That being said, I’m OK with students who eat in class, as long as they avoid crunchy food and they clean up after themselves.
Mark Brandley, 26, a senior from Las Vegas, agrees that students who eat should stick to certain “quiet foods.”
“I don’t really mind when people eat in class if they are considerate of everyone else around them,” Brandley said. “Eating a sandwich or something else quiet like a yogurt isn’t a big deal, as long as you have etiquette while eating. It’s hard enough to concentrate in class.”
Whole foods are often a bad selection, Brandley said.
“I feel that no matter how healthy you are being, carrot sticks are an awful choice,” Brandley said. “They are super loud with every bite and never really get quieter. Apples are extremely loud too. Crunchy food like chips and items with crinkly wrappers are definitely distracting.”
Devon Dewey, 25, a senior from Highland, said eating in class is a necessity because of his busy schedule.
“I eat in class because I am too busy during the day, I don’t get around to eating lunch a lot of times,” Dewey said. “I always carry snacks in my backpack like granola bars and fruit roll-ups so when I get to class and I have spare time I can eat.”
Dewey said he has definitely gotten a few “crusties,” or mean looks from classmates when he brought food to class.
“A few semesters ago, me and a friend would always eat during a certain class, and I feel like we got a lot of looks during that class,” Dewey said. “We did try to be considerate and chew slowly and quietly, but we did get a few crusties in that class.”
It seems the main issue lies in the students who forget their etiquette, Preston said.
I have never had a problem with others eating in class, other than the people who make a lot of noise when they eat,” Preston said. “If I can’t hear the professor anymore, there is a definite problem.”
