Common hour reflection

Student center observation

Location: Second floor in the student center

Time: During common hour

   During my last observation I have not seen anything new so I decided to go to the student center at a different time. While I got out of the elevator during common hour, I realize how many student were up there and they were not in groups. All the students that were sitting down were alone and listening to music, watching Netflix or some other stuff. There were barely any seats left. So I decided to sit with a girl. I took my laptop out and started to observe.

   After five minutes passed I started to observe the students, I saw that every time a student came up the second floor they would look for a seat. But first they would make eye contact to the person sitting in that section. If they were comfortable enough they would sit with them. That is when I realize that I have done the same, before choosing a spot to sit. When I got off the elevator I looked at every section and usually turned away from the sections in which there were guys, because they would think you are interested in them. Also because it would feel weird so I sat with a girl who was not paying attention at all and looking at her Instagram. I kept seeing this pattern until two girls and two guys came upstairs and with their opposite gender. I could not help but ask, what drove us to not sit with our opposite gender? Is there a certain type of preference?

    However on the other section there was a couple that was sitting down, they were Hispanic. They were laughing, hugging and kissing each other. They looked very happy and only stayed there for a while because a female student decided to sit in the same section they were in. Of course they felt a little uncomfortable. When they left another couple took their place. The couple this time was white, and they were kissing but mainly just talking. As I reflected on the couple before them I wanted to know why they treated each other differently. Was it because of the environment they were in?

It was pretty interesting to see all of these different things that happen during common hour, I am hoping to find a pattern that is seen every day. I am planning to come back at the same time and see if anything changes

By: Angelica Martinez