By Jon Bouker—
Headphones, specifically AirPods, should be allowed during passing periods in the hallways. Gonzaga’s SGA recently posted a video on its Instagram account saying that wearing any kind of headphones in the hallways is now prohibited. The reasoning for this is that Student Services believes that wearing headphones stops students from communicating with each other in the hallways on their way to class. Part of Gonzaga’s aspect of brotherhood is checking in on your friends and catching up. Apparently, wearing headphones in the hallways makes doing so harder.
I believe that wearing headphones in the hallways does not have an effect whatsoever on social interactions between classes. It gives students an opportunity to listen to some music and relax in between classes for a few minutes. Students can also communicate with each other while wearing headphones in the hallways.
Most students only wear one AirPod or headphone at a time so that they can hear with their other ear and so they do not bump into anyone. Wearing one earbud at a time makes it easy for students to talk with their friends and listen to a song or two in between classes. As someone who personally enjoys using music as a way to transition between classes, I find it unnecessary to outlaw headphone usage in the hallways.
I do not think that this rule benefits anyone because it is just another thing for students to get in trouble for and another thing teachers and faculty have to enforce. Wearing headphones in the hallways is not going to cause any harm to anyone. If students want to have a conversation with someone on their way to class, then they can take out their headphones.
I believe that outlawing headphones does more harm than it does good simply for the fact that music plays such an important part in daily life. Listening to a song you like in between classes can completely change your mood and keep you going throughout the day.
Students should be allowed to make their own choice of whether or not to listen to music during the passing periods. It is completely unnecessary to force students to take out their headphones when no one else other than themselves can hear it. Students should also be able to decide whether or not they want to transition to classes in silence or while talking to other students. The solution I propose is to revert back to students being allowed to wear headphones during passing periods, as long as they do so respectfully.