There was once a time when I thought Manhattan was the worst place on Earth to walk around. Then, I came to Binghamton University, where the length of time walking from Lecture Hall to a class in Library North can be anywhere from two to 14 minutes (the distance between Lecture Hall and Library North is around 60 feet). It might just be because I'm tall and have long strides, but I get so frustrated when I'm walking at a normal pace to get around campus, and I am suddenly slowed by the varying types of walkers.
1. Slow walkers.
I leave my class at 2:10 p.m. every Tuesday, and make my way to the Marketplace, where I can sit down, relax, and eat. I don't know if the gods of Olympus are trying to punish me, but 90 percent of the time I end up getting stuck behind these people who seem to behave like Walkers from "The Walking Dead." I kid you not, this is exactly how they walk.
Okay, maybe that's a bit inaccurate, because I'm pretty confident these zombies walk faster than the people on campus. You get my point, though. A simple walk from one door of a building to the next can literally feel like a lifetime before you finally get where you want to go. I mean, come on, people! We have legs for a purpose, so use them for said purpose!
2. Texters.
I can't deny that I'm also guilty of this. I am usually in a very heated conversation with my best friend about how much sexier I am than him, so you can imagine I'd get a little distracted while walking. Honestly, though, I usually just check my phone quickly when I receive a text or other notification, then I wait until I'm free in order to answer. I understand you might have to text your bae, or tell your mom how great you're doing in classes (meanwhile you probably just skipped one). Save it for a place where you won't be an obstacle in the way of people who need to get somewhere. I don't joke when I say every time I see someone stopping in their tracks to complete a text or end a phone call, all I picture myself doing is the following:
Phubbing (constantly being on your phone) has become so common, and I can't stand it. You might think it's because I feel cell phones are literally taking away our ability to be genuinely social (which they are), but you'd be wrong. I would have to say phubbers are the very reason I rip my hair out when walking around on campus. Walking and Facebook stalking are not a great combo, so stop now. I beg you.
3. Touristy people.
This type is more tolerable, but still grinds my gears. Someone will be walking in front of me and give off the appearance that they know where they're going. Next thing you know, they stop dead in their tracks to turn around and observe the landscape like they were just abducted by aliens and left in the Amazon rain forest for dead.
I get that, especially if you're a freshman. It's hard to adapt so quickly to your environment. But come on, you've been at this school for two months now, you should know where the hell everything is. For all I know, they could be stopping because they're waiting up for a friend. That doesn't constitute a valid reason for me to try and avoid bumping in to you when I'm just minding my own business.
Walking requires courtesy, so if you want to handle something that requires you to stop walking, just move aside and let the rest of us walk in peace. It'll save you from potential injury, and the rest of us from walking anxiety.
