Paige Buckley, a Communication and Media Arts major, is in her first year as a columnist for The Montclarion.
On my way to class each day, it’s rather easy to spot the happy couples walking around campus. Truly, I wish you all the best. But, while I see many people holding hands or pecking one another on the cheek, I see many more making out.
So, let’s talk about Public Displays of Affection, more commonly known as PDA. Although I believe that a little PDA never hurt anyone, I also believe some things should be kept private — if just for the sake of common courtesy.
For instance, riding the shuttle bus to and from University Hall is not the most appropriate setting for a couple to make out causally. No one wants to have their day ruined as a nearby couple kiss each other so much that it sounds like they are slurping spaghetti. However, in today’s day and age, it is clear that common courtesy is not all that common.
Putting aside my own beliefs, watching two people making out in public is both awkward and uncomfortable for all those involved. For this reason, people should have the ability to respect their surroundings and realize that not every space is appropriate for PDA.
Having no respect for others around you and your significant other is a clear indication of one’s level of maturity. We are no longer in high school. You do not need to flaunt to your peers that you have a boyfriend or girlfriend.
In all honesty, it is not as though I am being unreasonable. Why do people making out in public get offended if others kindly ask them to stop? By taking offense, those involved only seem to represent the true meaning of PDA: a lack of respect for others.
To reiterate, the back of the library on campus is not where you take your significant other to have intimate alone time — it’s a place for students to meet with others or study on their own with a wealth of resources at their fingertips. In this sense, a private area is more than sufficient for couples to have time to do what ever they please without having an unwilling audience.
There is no reason to share such a personal and intimate experience with everyone in the area. These moments are actually supposed to be special because they are private moments just between two individuals.
While I understand that this is college and people can love who they want, that does not make the entire campus your bedroom.
