Hugging
I am thrilled that you have friends that you want to run up to after class, but really? You saw him or her 45 minutes ago. I’m concerned you have separation anxiety issues, and you should probably get that checked out.
In a typical hallway, there are people moving in two directions. When you and your friend stop so that you can give each other a huge hug — probably accompanied by a squeal hitting notes previously unknown to human ears — everyone behind you is then forced to stop and wait.
People then start to get frustrated and try to go around you, walking on the other side of the hall, making the people on that side angry, and the whole situation deteriorates.
It’s all your fault. But do you notice? Of course not! You’re still too busy hugging your friend and squealing about how much you missed her last hour.
This is a big school — find an area that ISN’T crammed with 200 students to give your friend a hug. Coming from a claustrophobic, trust me — there are plenty of options for non-crowded spaces.

Congregating in the middle of the hallway
Ever had to fight your way through a mob of people a foot taller than you to get to class? I have.
It may be easier for taller people, but for someone checking in at 5’6 1/4 on a good day, it’s not easy to fight through a sea of 6’6” football players intent on nothing more than remaining exactly where they are.
Common courtesy would dictate that if there is someone trying to get through a hallway and you or your buddies are standing in the way, you would slide aside to let that person pass. Apparently, common courtesy stops at the doors of the school.
Pick a hallway and I’ll show you a flock of people just chilling out in the exact geometric middle of it. Not moving. Just talking.
Students are trying to make it to lockers and then back in the opposite direction for class. Teachers are trying to push heavy carts of laptops. Those poor souls on crutches or in walking boots are just trying to not fall on their face. Help everyone out — don’t make a human barricade when your entire gang meets up after fourth hour.

Walking slowly
And finally, the queen of hallway annoyances. Those people who just don’t seem to have anywhere to be top anyone’s list of reasons to be late to class. Get stuck behind a mob of them and game over — you’re sure to be late.
This may be a novel concept to all of you slow walkers permeating the halls, but people need to get to class, and that class is probably far away. By taking your own sweet time, you’re not only annoying the students you’re holding hostage in your wake, but also their teachers. It’s a chain reaction that is headed nowhere good.
If you’re in no rush to get to your sixth hour Biology class, fine. That’s your choice. But a very easy way to make a lot of enemies is to saunter along the middle of the hallway, stopping to talk to anyone and everyone you know and pausing to check out the window on how the construction for Middle School #10 is coming.
So, if you’re not planning on going to class, or you’re in no hurry to get there, do everyone a favor and walk near the edge of the hall and let people past you.

We’ve got nine more weeks in this semester, Timberwolves. Let’s try to exercise the courteous muscle in our bodies and make everybody’s passing periods a little less stressful. It’s one small thing you can do that makes a huge difference in how you’re perceived in the halls.