Something interesting happened today in my Junior English class.

I had just came back from winter break (all of my teachers admitted this was rediculous) and there was to be a new seating arrangement for the new semester. The teacher let us pick our seats at the end of class.

There are three areas of desks: the fore wall, the right wall, and the back wall by the teacher's desk. A majority of the desks are backed against the right wall. There are seven desks on the fore and back wall, organized in three rows.

The white board and teacher's podium is on the left wall.

The teacher instructed us to change seats and that we may not stay in the same seat. We could move over as little as one seat over, but we couldn't stay where we were.

I was sitting in the second row, first seat, in the back wall area by the teacher's desk. I didn't feel like moving so I just hopped over one seat.

Everyone else did feel like moving. Where they moved, was actually strange to me. Everyone but me grouped together and sat along the fore and right wall. Not one person was by the entrance/back wall but me. I didn't have one person by me.

One of the reasons I liked sitting over there was because I like looking outside. (I'm going to sound like a hippy saying this but oh well...) I watch the wind move the tree branches and the sunshine shine through the window on the forewall. The window, to me, has always been a good distraction and always kick starts my day dreams of someplace better. (I hate school.)

I will admit that I'm a loner. It's true. Someone invited me to come sit in the corner, hiding away from the teacher might I add, and I turned him down. I liked standing out for the moment. Then it got kind of sad so I went back to reading Isaac Asimov stories.

Here are my questions to you:

What does this say about me? Am I a little nuts not for conforming to hiding in the corner, just to be away from the teacher? Is this a cry for help? (I don't think so but maybe you readers might think so.)

What does it say about them? Are they afraid of the teacher or something? Is it just to conform? Is it to just text with their backs to the wall? Do they not like looking outside where the sun is actually shining?

[Umbral_Seraph]

I've always had a ring of empty desks around me no matter where I go but where I was sitting in the room never seems to have any effect.

It sounds you have alot of slackers in that class with and I'm sure your teacher appreciates the fact that they don't need to worry about you. Unfortunately you may not get the attention you need because the teacher will have to keep dealing with all the disruptive students.

[DenisDonnacha]

In my school no one ever seemed to like to sit in the front row because that was where the teachers desk was, in every room. I think it's sort of a set thing in students head not to sit too close to the teacher. But like you I would often sit in the front row if I could see out the window too. I don't think it's weird, seems normal to want to look at nature.

I'm actually a Junior English teacher, so I feel compelled to respond. All teachers are completely aware that students avoid sitting near the teacher's desk. That's just teenagers wanting to maintain some sense of freedom in the room. I have never seen it as much of a conformity thing. They just like to huddle together because they are social animals and honestly, a large proportion of students are at school much more for their social life than for an education. That's okay. It's just the nature of the beast.

Not every student is comfortable socially though. Some prefer the seat away from the silliness around them. It isn't that there is something wrong with them; they just deal with the world differently.

Yeah... It was kind of depressing to be alone but moments like this make me think. I wonder what will happen on Monday. Think anyone will say anything or make me sit with them?

It seems odd that they made you all change seats. I had one teacher who made us move seats every lesson; said it changed our perspective. I thought it was stupid! I am a creature of habit and I liked to sit in a particular area, away from the crowd, but with my friends. It never bothered me sitting near the teacher, but then everyone always called me a 'swot' (UK equivalent of a nerd, though I'm not even sure if it's still in use these days, that's how hip and trendy I am! lol) anyway. I don't think you're weird Kam$$! - who cares what the others think?!

*Willow*

[Martin19]

I`ve been a 1st desk student since 10th grade and I have found myself in a situation where I`m alone in the middle row and everyone else has evacuvated to my right and left.

There have even been times where I quickly barged into the classroom so that I could have my precious seat and then found my efforts had been for nothing; everyone took the seats in the back. Their loss, I guess, but it`s all a matter of perspective. For me, it`s better to have the first seat so I can give my full attention to studying the subject and for them it`s better to take the last seat so that they could socialize with eachother undisturbed by the teacher.

[taytaybatt]

I've always attempted to sit in the back row or just anywhere not in the front. If i'm in the back row I can lean back and stretch or move while not having somebody yelling at me for leaning over their desk or being in their way and by not being in the front I can use the basket of the desk in front of me as a foot rest. So it's just more comfortable and less disruptive in my opinion. That and the fact that I can usually see better at a non-close up distance.

For some reason the more studious students take the back seats in classes at my school. Then again I guess that would force the more troublesome students to be by the teacher which might make them quieter.... interesting concept.