Antisocial, introverted, call it what you want, but some students don’t like to interact with others during their 8 AM lecture (or 1 PM lecture for that matter). Sure, you like to go out and meet new people as much as the next person, but for those who have accepted your predispositions to avoid conversations with people in a classroom setting, Ron Swanson knows how you feel. Sometimes, mean mugging and even putting in earphones (whether or not music is playing) is not enough to repel your overly eager classmates.
When you see them approaching the empty seat next to you...
You start to panic. Surely they aren’t actually going to sit next to you. Look at all the other empty seats!
When they actually have the audacity to sit in the empty seat next to you...
At this point, you’re in denial. It doesn’t make sense to you how someone can look at a room full of empty seats and decide to sit in the one right next to your non-smiling face.
When they start talking to you...
Your only hope before this point was that they would sit there in silence. Now you have to strategize about how to let them know you are not interested in starting a friendship, or even a conversation.
When they ask about your interests and hobbies...
You try to seem as uninteresting as possible. The goal is not to impress this enthusiastic individual.
When they go on a spiel about their own life...
You try to seem as uninterested as possible. It’s a very thin line between being indifferent and downright rude, but with the right amount of soft smiles and gentle head nods you might be able to pull off apathy.
When they try to joke around with you...
If you and your classmate have made it to this point, you clearly haven’t gotten your point across. Now they're comfortable with you and you might be in this for the long haul. The only way out is to pretend you have no sense of humor. What’s less endearing than someone who cannot and will not laugh?
When they start to act like you’re best friends...
You try to test out the theory behind “Those who care less have all the power.”
When they ask to meet outside of class...
Where did you go wrong? If you want this acquaintance to stop you must shoot them down, politely of course.
When you say no to meeting outside of class...
If you’re courageous enough to turn someone down to their face, you must truly be adamant about not creating classroom friendships. If your classmate has not caught on by now, there may be no hope for you. You’ll either have to suffer through the rest of the semester with a fellow student constantly babbling in your ear or put in the effort to become friends with them…**gasp!**
When they finally catch on and sit somewhere else...
You feel kinda bad and for a second you think you’ll miss their company. Then you realize you both will be better off this way and silently rejoice to you and yourself alone.
