As a former employee of the University Bookstore, I must say that a significant number of students who go to school here are insane, inconsiderate, oblivious or all of the above. I don’t know if it is understood by everyone what the bookstore employees really have to go through to get your school year started. The backpack tent is a primary example of this.
I spent three hours of my life in this place one cold Monday morning last semester. I am perfectly aware that it was a part of my job but I was not aware of the crowds of crazies I would find.
At the grand hour of 7 a.m., I was put on backpack duty. It wasn’t too terrible at first glance – and then they came.
They came in packs of hundreds, possibly more. For three hours nonstop, college students from what seemed to be every corner of the world came to check their backpack in.
The line was past the convenience store, if you can believe it. I will say that most of the time people were pretty cool. They arrived, got their number, left, brought it back and left again. But of course, there are always the bad apples that spoil everything.
Let me just say that the students who look at the backpack tent workers like they are holding their internal organs in their hands, please get over it. We are college students just like you and try to do your best to have a little faith in people.
We have no intention of stealing anything of yours, and even if we did, how exactly would we go about it? Hide your bag in the bushes? We aren’t going anywhere any time soon, so stop handing us your backpack like it is a newborn child.
As for the lovely ladies and gentlemen who own thousand dollar Louis Vuitton backpacks, you have to wait in line just like everyone else. There were at least 15 students who approached me from the side, attempting to be sneaky. In actuality they embarrased themselves, asking me the infamous question: Do I have to wait? Darn skippy you do! Just because your daddy bought you a purse that costs more than most people’s cars does not give you a pass to go to the front of the line.
Despite all of this, my personal favorites are the looney tunes that leave without getting their backpack number at all. Then, they have the nerve to come back after they’ve bought books and say, “Oh, you didn’t give me a number.”
Let’s get something straight. I did not forget to give you anything. You are the dork that saw countless others in front of you get a number and then walk away. Do not blame the poor, tired backpack tent employees for your complete and utter lack of common sense.
I realize buying books and starting a new year is a nerve-wracking experience, but please try and find it in your heart to be patient with us and think before you say or do something that could cause us incredible stress and frustration.
If we all just take a step back the week known as “rush” may not feel so rushed.
Krystle Ralston is a senior journalism major and the news editor for the Daily Forty-Niner.