Front-row seats might actually help

By Kelly Sandmann

Don’t you hate it when you’re sitting in class and your teacher tells you all to get up with your bags because you’re switching seats? Then by some unlucky chance, you just so happen to be in your least favorite place: the front row. 

 Personally, I love the front row because I can actually see the board to know what I’m doing instead of just squinting my eyes like I’m trying to read font size one. I’m also quite short, so if I were in the back, I would have to stand up just to see what I am learning about, and I (mostly) like to see what I’m learning about to pass my classes.

 Now, people might see the front row as a punishment. If a teacher places a student in the front you probably think, “Wow, that kid must be a devil” or something like that. I can see why people don’t like being in the front of the room. You can’t sleep in class (since most high schoolers are probably up all night watching Tiktok), you can’t sneakily be on your phone (which you can’t really do anymore since the caddies), or “whisper” to a friend near your seat (it’s not really whispering). But other than that, I don’t really see any big benefits to sitting in the back of the room when you don’t need to be sitting in the back.

 Well, I guess there are some benefits or “needs” to sitting in the back that just have to do with sheer luck: 

1. You’re tall; I only see this as a benefit for other people so we can see the board behind you. (No shame to the tall people out there, you’re just blessed with good genes.)
2.  It’s easier to be on your Chromebook and definitely not play any games, which are irrelevant to what we’re learning.
3. I guess it’s easier to talk with friends if they just so happen to be in the back with you. But if you are planning to do that, please learn how to whisper so you don’t get yelled at for 50% of the class time.

 Also, most people (myself included) don’t like to be in class. When you sit in the front, in most cases, it’s closer to your exit. Like in Mr. Dufour’s room, the front is closer to the front door to leave and to the phone caddies. Although, in some cases, like Ms.Gates’s room, the closest seats to the exit are in the back. BUT the phone caddies are in the front, near her board. So if you want to leave with your phone (since who would want to leave it in school), then in that case you would want the front row. Besides, you won’t get trampled by the other 20 or so kids in your class. If you can sit in the front, you would already be closer to the door to your next class, lunch, or to leave the building overall (and who doesn’t want to leave school).

But in the end, you can’t really decide where you want to sit. For instance, if the seating goes by last name, I can’t change my last name to start with “A”, I would always be stuck with “S”. I also can’t convince you to do what you want to do with your seating. Just because I like to sit in certain places in a classroom doesn’t mean you have to like it either. 

 But when you get the chance, try sitting in the front. It will give you more benefits than sitting in the back. It would help you focus, and if you can focus, your grades could be higher for the class. Better grades, better college options, and a better college might lead to a new “journey” in your life. Who knows? Your seat may decide your future life.