# Eating in class - that's a beatin' **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 17, 2007, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298 "2007-03-17T03:34:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2007, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/101 "2007-03-19T18:33:29Z")
I’d advise against taking food into any classes taught by Professor Hand. He’ll just distribute your food to everyone else in the room, leaving you none. He’s a dick. ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2007, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/102 "2007-03-19T18:51:45Z")
> [@](#): > > **Guinastasia** said: > How about the rest learn to put up with the noises? What are you going to do when you start working, and your coworker in the next cubical is munching on HER lunch, crinkling papers, and making other noises? My deparment’s all men except for me, but the answer to this is 75 GB of mp3s and a good set of headphones. There are a lot of things, not just eating and drinking, that are distracting and noisy in an office where not everyone’s walls go all the way to the ceiling and there isn’t always a door that is closed. My mp3 volume starts off around 1% in the morning and goes up to 15% by … right about now. Sometimes I participate in the 15:00 rowdy time. Most of the time, I put my headphones on and opt out. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2007, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/103 "2007-03-19T19:28:10Z")
[QUOTE=Muffin] BRRRAAAAAAPPPPPPPPP!!! Ah, that was a nice lunch. A pastrami sandwich with french mustard and swiss cheese, followed by a blackforest woven strudel. Carry on. Don’t let me disturb your conversation. [/QUOTE] Depends. Was that a burp or a fart? ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2007, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/104 "2007-03-19T23:24:25Z")
[QUOTE=gigi] Depends. Was that a burp or a fart? [/QUOTE] BRRRAAAAAAPPPPPPPPP!!! = Burp FRRRAAAAAAPPPPPPPPP!!! = Fart ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2007, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/105 "2007-03-19T23:55:12Z")
[QUOTE=Hippy Hollow] Here in grad school, I admit that most of the eating is under control - mostly coffee drinkers, though I do remember a course that had a girl who would _knit_ during the lecture. :eek: [/QUOTE] I knitted my way through pretty much all of my (non-lab) courses at MIT. It’s much easier for me to concentrate on the lecture when I’m doing something with my hands. I use wooden needles that don’t click. Why should this bother you? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/106 "2007-03-20T00:18:13Z")
> [@Hippy Hollow](#): > > I’ve been up for five hours and not eaten a thing Whoop-de-fuck. I had a grand total of about 2 square inches of Smore pop-tart from ~6:45 AM to 6:30 PM today, and wasn’t hungry for any of that time; I asked for a piece because I like pop-tarts. Some people can go without eating for several hours at a time, and some can’t. Being without adequate nourishment is not conducive to education. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/107 "2007-03-20T00:32:05Z")
::Opens a Styrofoam container full of garlic butter chicken wings and smacks her lips as she eats, the grease dripping down her chin:: Now, Professor, what was it that you just said? 😉 Robin ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/108 "2007-03-20T00:34:46Z")
[QUOTE=MsRobyn] ::Opens a Styrofoam container full of garlic butter chicken wings and smacks her lips as she eats, the grease dripping down her chin:: Now, Professor, what was it that you just said? 😉 Robin [/QUOTE] I said, “Don’t eat that in here…We have a temporary trailer/module type of classroom and it has carpeting!” (I’m just funnin’ with you. However, the carpeting reference is real.) ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/109 "2007-03-20T00:40:17Z")
[QUOTE=MsRobyn] ::Opens a Styrofoam container full of garlic butter chicken wings and smacks her lips as she eats, the grease dripping down her chin:: Now, Professor, what was it that you just said? 😉 Robin [/QUOTE] :holding out hand: Can I have one? I promise I won’t crunch on the gristle too loud. ---
**Author:** ![kimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@kimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimera)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/110 "2007-03-20T00:49:11Z")
[QUOTE=Vinyl Turnip] Seem to be a lot of sufferers of “hypoglycemia” among the defenders of in-class dining. Is this really such a common condition, or is it another one of those things (like bibliomania, genius-level intelligence, ADD, and Asperger Syndrome) that seems to manifest itself in Dopers at a much higher ratio than in the general population? [/QUOTE] Two is a lot? That is how many I counted in this thread before you posted including me. I wouldn’t call it a common condition, most studies suggest it is very rare. My mom is the only other person I know with it but I know several Aspergers and ADD people. I wish it were more commonly known because then it wouldn’t have taken me so long to get diagnosed. They kept thinking I was anemic. I was tested for that four times among other things. After I learned about hypoglycemia from a coworker I changed my diet accordingly and the difference was night and day. I have since been tested and my doctor confirmed the diagnosis. I have reactive hypoglycemia which kicks in about 4 hours after eating a meal. This past year I went to a museum with my brother after a huge lunch. Because we were in the museum I did not snack and I lost track of time in the exhibits. I was so fascinated that I ignored all my body’s signals and, about four hours after lunch, ended up passing out in the middle of the biology section. I hit my face on one of the displays when I fainted and had a nasty bruise for a week. I hadn’t taken my condition seriously until then. Frylock, my mom’s side of the family has a history of blood sugar disorders and depression. I’ve noticed that my depression symptoms have greatly improved since I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia. I wonder if we have similar ethnic backgrounds. My coworkers can tell when my blood sugar is low because of how I act. I also suspect that my hypoglycemia is related to my ability to eat 5-6 platefuls in a buffet and be ravishingly hungry a few hours later. I also used to have trouble gaining weight despite eating more food than most of my heavier friends. I’ve only gained pounds after switching to this diet. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/111 "2007-03-20T01:41:51Z")
[QUOTE=ENugent] I knitted my way through pretty much all of my (non-lab) courses at MIT. It’s much easier for me to concentrate on the lecture when I’m doing something with my hands. I use wooden needles that don’t click. Why should this bother you? [/QUOTE] I guess I’m a fuddy duddy. As a lecturer, I think the least that person deserves is the (at least apparent) undivided attention of the class. That would mean either listening quietly, listening and taking notes, and not a whole hell of a lot much else. Is that really a weird thing? You’re not going to distract me from my learning, just like the smelly food eater and guy who takes his shoes off and puts them on the chair next to him isn’t. But I’m going to think you’re not the most considerate or respectful person in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/112 "2007-03-20T03:46:27Z")
[QUOTE=Hippy Hollow] I guess I’m a fuddy duddy. As a lecturer, I think the least that person deserves is the (at least apparent) undivided attention of the class. That would mean either listening quietly, listening and taking notes, and not a whole hell of a lot much else. Is that really a weird thing? [/quote] Not weird, but wrong. Some people need to be engaged in an activity in order to best absorb information they are listening to. Taking notes doesn’t do it for everyone. For example, take me. I’ve never been able to take notes, because I can’t concentrate on writing words down at the same time as I’m concentrating on listening to a lecture. I don’t understand how it’s even possible for someone to do this. I understand that it is possible for most people, but I’m just illustrating how deep my inability here is. It’s not just that I find it difficult, it’s just that I can not even concieve of how it must be for a person to be able to concentrate on writing and listening at the same time. Meanwhile, however, if I just sit there and force myself not to do anything else at all, then my mind wanders and I am left unable to concentrate. But if I doodle, then the “wandering” part of my mind seems happy, yet since doodling requires no attention whatsoever–doesn’t take any resources from the linguistic processing part of my brain, anyway–doodling doesn’t distract me from listening to lecture. So I doodle during lectures. It literally helps me listen, and so helps me learn. I can’t imagine doodling is the answer for everyone. I bet other activities work better for others. For example, knitting. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/113 "2007-03-20T04:16:16Z")
Sure, **Frylock** , but that’s a reasonable accommodation. I mean, a lecturer isn’t probably able to notice or see your doodles, so have at it. My mind wanders in straight lectures as well and I’ve been known to doodle, make to-do lists in the margins of my notes, etc. Knitting is a whole 'nother ball of wax, though. If a student approached me before the class started and explained the situation, maybe. I’m just concerned about other students noticing the knitter, and then thinking, “cool, I guess I can start instant messaging my buds,” etc… and then NUCLEAR WAR! Think of it this way as well. As a lecturer, I greatly prefer walking up and down the aisle instead of standing in front of the room. But some students find it easier to watch a lecturer who stays in one spot. Plus it makes it easier for the classes with signers. It’s also sometimes easier for me to read directly from my notes when lecturing. Again, that doesn’t really work for students in the lecture. I have to sometimes do what’s less comfortable for me to be an effective lecturer. I should point out I don’t lecture often, because I dislike that pedagogical method - I’m more likely to have discussion circles and the like. But because of the architecture of some classrooms on our campus, and some material is best covered that way, I’ve learned to do it. As a lecturer I really make an effort to engage students. I look at their faces and body language - am I going too slow or too fast? Is this part of the lecture particularly interesting to people? And so forth. I taught a class with five grad colleagues and two profs. We collectively were bothered by students who surfed the web and e-mailed during class. Obviously not every student who did these things caused us concern, because we couldn’t tell with every person. But for those who were clearly engrossed with the contents of their screens, or furtively glanced about as they typed to Buffy what a bore this class was, it was distracting. We even had other students complain about it. I guess I’m trying to say that the classroom dynamic is a reciprocal one, and I’m a hard-liner here. If you can’t conduct yourself in an unobtrusive manner in a classroom (unless you have a documented accommodation) that disturbs the lecturer or the students in the class, you should ask to have the lectures streamed so you can watch it and do whatever it is you like to do. I guess in **ENugent’s** case, I’d have to observe it myself, but I would think knitting is distracting. The students in the course with the knitter found it simultaneously distracting at times and quite amusing - and we all knew she was doing it. I’ve only ever seen that in a class once. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/114 "2007-03-20T04:35:15Z")
[QUOTE=Queen Bruin] I don’t know where you are from, but rude is rude whether you are bored or not in my locale. Even a boring professor deserves respect during lecture - therefore I’m going to assume that they either DO know that they’re flaunting social rules like a general asshole, or they DON’T and simply do not know any better. Which is pretty hard to believe, but I’ve been surprised about things like this before. [/QUOTE] Well, that certainly is a tautology. Rude = rude = _your_ definition of rude everywhere on the planet where people accept your definition of rude. The only problem there is that not everyone accepts your definition of rude. And the people eating in class certainly do not. So you’re pretty much where you started. You make up the rule calling people rude and hold them to that standard and they break the rule. You can then be mad about it if you choose. Of course, you could also be randomly mad and that would work also since there’s no difference between the two. > [@Hippy Hollow](#): > > Wow, Heffalump and Roo. We’re talking about higher education here, not a stand-up comic on amateur night. With all due respect, those who feel the prof is not worth their respect can take their Gong Show asses home. People are paying for the privilege to be in the room and hear the lecturer do his or her thing. If it’s not working for you, LEAVE. Drop the class. Find another prof. Seriously, what kind of thought process is that? > > I find it ridiculous that the student who expects the norm - relative quiet, respect for the learning environment - is charged with the responsibility of informing self-centered classmates of what a classroom should be like. But unfortunately, I think Queen Bruin will probably have to ask the prof to tell these morons to keep their munching to a minimum. First off, I find it highly amusing that you’re talking about higher education as though people with more education suddenly become more enlightened, self-aware and respect everyone else’s values to the point of no conflict. I sure don’t find that to be the case. As to your suggestion that people leave the class or find another one, many of the classes I’m describing are ones that are mandatory for graduation. And for some of those classes, only one professor teaches it. And as to your last point, you and I are saying the same thing. It’s not a matter of what “should” happen, it’s a matter of what “is” happening. So getting upset about what “should” happen is not changing anything. Changing something would require some action on the part of the OP. Please note that in my last paragraph of my last post, I note that if I wanted it to be quiet, I would ask those around me to be quiet. That would mean that I’m not participating in the noise. [QUOTE=Muffin] [QUOTE=Queen Bruin] I am running on the expectation that the people I attend college with are not five year olds in need of a nanny. [/quote] I would not make that assumption. Fortunately, the first term of first year weeds many of them out. [/quote] No way. Are you saying that in your third year of law school, there wasn’t even one person in your class that didn’t illicit this response, “wow, that was rude, what an idiot!” for any action of any person in the whole class? If so, you were truly fortunate. **Queen Bruin** is only talking about two examples here (three if you count the furtive pastry eater, but apparently her food got classified as acceptable somewhere in this thread), not classfuls. If she were talking about the whole class doing the behavior, the “offenders” wouldn’t be so noticeable and the professor would more likely take some action if the whole class were participating in it. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/115 "2007-03-20T04:56:17Z")
[QUOTE=Hippy Hollow] Knitting is a whole 'nother ball of wax, though. If a student approached me before the class started and explained the situation, maybe. I’m just concerned about other students noticing the knitter, and then thinking, “cool, I guess I can start instant messaging my buds,” etc… and then NUCLEAR WAR! [/QUOTE] Wow, any flexibility leads to nuclear war! That slope must be very slippery indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/116 "2007-03-20T05:23:40Z")
[QUOTE=Heffalump and Roo] Are you saying that in your third year of law school, there wasn’t even one person in your class that didn’t illicit this response, “wow, that was rude, what an idiot!” for any action of any person in the whole class? [/QUOTE] Please note that I said that “many” were weeded out in the first term of first year. I did not say “most”, and I did not say “all”. Generally, but certainly not without exception, I have found that older people tend to be more mature and courteous with respect to how they behave toward others in classroom settings. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/117 "2007-03-20T10:29:13Z")
[QUOTE=monstro] :holding out hand: Can I have one? I promise I won’t crunch on the gristle too loud. [/QUOTE] Sure. ::hands monstro a couple of wings:: Note for the humorless: While I do occasionally eat garlic butter chicken wings, I would sooner die than eat those in class. The butter would drip into the keyboard of my laptop and ruin it, leaving me with no way to e-mail my buds or surf the SDMB during the lecture. I save the wings for before class, in my small, poorly-ventilated office that I share with two other people. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/118 "2007-03-20T12:09:37Z")
[QUOTE=Heffalump and Roo] Well, that certainly is a tautology. Rude = rude = _your_ definition of rude everywhere on the planet where people accept your definition of rude. The only problem there is that not everyone accepts your definition of rude. And the people eating in class certainly do not. [/QUOTE] If you grew up thinking it was OK to make noise during performances, lectures, or at the library, you surely grew up in Bizarro World. Hey, it could happen. A certain subset of immigrants (I won’t be specific) seem to have the most atrocious eating habits of anyone I’ve seen. However, they do make the point of never eating in class, but in central eating areas. So, while eating with your mouth closed may not be a global value, it would seem to me that not eating in class is. Who knows, maybe my perception is skewed? Or maybe people that make a lot of noise in class are self-absorbed asses. Anyways, off to the 405 and finals. And heffalump, I’ll be sure to go off on someone if they break out the rice krispies in class today. I’ll tell them you told me to, and that your counsel always outweighs the rice krispies. > [@Muffin](#): > > Generally, but certainly not without exception, I have found that older people tend to be more mature and courteous with respect to how they behave toward others in classroom settings. Not to mention are much more likely to get a decent job right out of law school compared to the socially inept, who are forever condemned to work at Law Dogs (combo hot dog stand and arbitration in San Fernando - no, I’m not making this up). ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/119 "2007-03-20T14:59:13Z")
It’s weird that eating in class always seems to be such a hot topic on the SDMB - IRL I’ve never run into this problem. I attended a well-known university in Korea for my undergrad and am currently attending grad school at UChicago, and no one in my classes has made a fuss about eating or other people eating. There is the odd carrot stick cruncher or smelly sandwich eater, but for the most part people are considerate and/or aren’t bothered by the eating in general. I suppose I’ve just been lucky. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298/120 "2007-03-20T16:06:27Z")
[QUOTE=HazelNutCoffee] It’s weird that eating in class always seems to be such a hot topic on the SDMB - IRL I’ve never run into this problem. I attended a well-known university in Korea for my undergrad and am currently attending grad school at UChicago, and no one in my classes has made a fuss about eating or other people eating. There is the odd carrot stick cruncher or smelly sandwich eater, but for the most part people are considerate and/or aren’t bothered by the eating in general. I suppose I’ve just been lucky. [/QUOTE] I think a lot of it comes down to maturity and understanding. With a few exceptions, no one in any of my graduate courses actually eats in class. Most will bring something small to eat during breaks, then have an actual meal before or after class, even if it means wolfing a cheeseburger in the car on the way to class. In my case, I’ve got time between the end of my workday and the beginning of class to get my food and eat it, so I take advantage of it. That said, undergraduates are pretty busy, and their schedules are more uneven. They also tend to have more group projects that eat into their time (no pun intended), and the occasional extracurricular activity, not to mention class schedules that conflict with dining hall hours. So it’s tempting to bring a snack or a sandwich to class, because that may be the only time that student has to eat something. Yeah, it can be distracting, particularly when it’s caused by those who like sauerkraut and pickles on their sandwiches, which are wrapped in waxed paper, but it’s more likely a bag of chips or a candy bar or a piece of crunchy fruit. Honestly, as these things go, eating in class isn’t nearly as bad a sin as text-messaging in class, a crime for which the guilty parties should have their cell phones forcibly inserted into the orifice of the professor’s choice. It’s also not as bad as chatting or any other unnecessary activity that involves other people in the class. Robin [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-in-class-thats-a-beatin/396298.md?page=7)