Why do people think its OK to come into a lecture halfway through?

So, if a lecture is 2 hours long, there is obviously a break at the halfway point. As I said in the title; why people think its OK to come in then I will never know. It is so rude, the lecturers must think who are these wasters coming now when I have already spoken for an hour. And I go to a good RG uni! Maybe its just because its first year...

Edit:It is a sorry situation when so many people that being late is not rude.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 1

Michaelj

10

I suppose they could copy notes off a friend of what they missed? The hour or so they are in the lecture they can learn something from the instructor rather than not turning up and having to copy more off friends and not know what they are doing etc... Though it is quite rude nontheless. If they can't be bothered to turn up on time then why are they wasting money at uni? If there is a geniune excuse, then fine... Like medical reasons but because you slept in late? Bit out of order, imo.

Reply 2

MQ003C

Some people are of the mind that there's no need to go to lectures but turn up for the odd one here and there. Some are very late for other reasons and want to attend anyway to get a handout or something.

Best time was actually two weeks ago. A guy comes in 5 minutes before the end the lecturer is pretty laid back and said to him as he came through the door, stay you never know what you can learn in the last 5 minutes. Personally I would have kicked him out in front of the whole class but hey some are more forgiving than others.

Reply 3

SpicyStrawberry

18

We don't get breaks if our lectures are two hours long, so if someone just walked in halfway through then it would be awkward but if everyone's walking about getting coffee or whatever during a break it's not that disruptive. They will lose out, not you so I wouldn't worry.

Reply 4

SnoochToTheBooch

17

it's called being fashionably late.

Reply 5

Megzx13

Yeh its rude. However, everyone's late once in a while and its better to go for half than not go at all.

Reply 6

syrettd

18

My friend once turned up too late for a lecture that was two hours long (traffic, not laziness), but thought as he'd missed an hour, it would look like he'd just come in a few minutes late from a break. Unfortunately for him, the lecturer only had an hour and a bit long lecture to give so we had no break, and he came in just as she was on her last few sentences. She was not happy with him as he sat down.

Reply 7

jami74

12

Original post by Meat is Murder

So, if a lecture is 2 hours long, there is obviously a break at the halfway point. As I said in the title; why people think its OK to come in then I will never know. It is so rude, the lecturers must think who are these wasters coming now when I have already spoken for an hour. And I go to a good RG uni! Maybe its just because its first year...

Maybe they've been stuck on a train for 2hrs. I mean, if you finally arrived after a 2hr journey would you get straight back on the train and go home or would be grateful that you got there in time for the second half of the lecture?

Reply 8

besomebody

8

I will never get this argument. I don't see how arriving at a lecture late is rude if you do it quietly. I mean, if you make lots of noise then it's rude, but making lots of noise is rude anyway.

Reply 9

Meat is Murder

OP

12

Original post by besomebody

I will never get this argument. I don't see how arriving at a lecture late is rude if you do it quietly. I mean, if you make lots of noise then it's rude, but making lots of noise is rude anyway.

It's rude with regards to the lecturer! If I was lecturing I would tell them to get out. If they aren't going to turn up switched on and ready to learn then why come? Lectures have put time into preparing their class, whilst doing research projects, I bet they hate the students who don't take their class as seriously as they should do.

Reply 10

Nathanielle

15

It also depends on the university. If it is in a very big city, where a lot of students have to commute and the trains are quite often late or if you are in a university where everybody is living on campus and has only 10 minutes between bed and lecture hall. When nobody is disturbed by a student coming late, I don't see, why he shouldn't make the effort, especially when it takes you already more than an hour to go to that lecture.

Reply 11

desdemonata

19

Surely it would be more rude to arrive while the lecturer is mid-sentence and interrupt? :s-smilie:

I don't see how it's inherently "rude", you never know what happened. They could have gotten there 10 minutes late but didn't want to interrupt and so waited until the break.

Reply 12

AK0001

6

Original post by Meat is Murder

It's rude with regards to the lecturer! If I was lecturing I would tell them to get out. If they aren't going to turn up switched on and ready to learn then why come? Lectures have put time into preparing their class, whilst doing research projects, I bet they hate the students who don't take their class as seriously as they should do.

I doubt the lecturer realises/cares.

Reply 13

Eboracum

18

I just think, not so much that it's rude to the lecturer but if you are going to spend three years studying and paying for an education, make the most of it. Put the work before drinking and partying. You'll only get this chance once.

Reply 14

Meat is Murder

OP

12

So I suppose all those negging me are those I am talking about...all I can say is good luck in your exams :rolleyes:

Reply 15

Annaaaa

9

Some of the second year lecturers on my course lock the doors about 5 minutes into the lecture so whoever is late can't go into the lecture at all.

I think that's a bit extreme because lateness can't always be helped but at the same time, I suppose there'll be loads of employers that will be equally as unforgiving if an employee is late so it's good training for the future!

Reply 16

style

13

How is it rude? They could be late for whatever reason, and its better to come for an hour then not at all. If i'm more the 15 minutes late for a class, I just wait for the break to walk in as its less embarrassing and disruptive. Even if you do miss the first hour it doesn't mean your a 'waster' or not switched on to learn.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 17

lukas1051

18

If they're entering the room quietly then I don't really see the issue, it's not like the disruption is so huge it severely affects your learning. Sometimes you just can't help being late, things come up, it happens to the best of us. Unless the same people are constantly turning up late and disrupting the class, which is unacceptable... get over it.

Reply 18

CoffeeStinks

11

Coming in during the break is rather polite I would have thought. Say it takes you 1hr 30mins+ getting to a lecture, train gets cancelled etc then I think coming in to at least catch half of a lecture shows that you're willing to learn. Instead you could say sod it and walk around town doing nothing much. And besides I find that lecturers aren't too concerned whether you turn up or not, they get paid regardless.

If someone was to walk in 30mins into the lecture, waving to friends, choosing to sit in the middle of the row, generally making a racket then I would be able to see your point.

Oh and I know a few mature students on my course that may have children that they have to sort out, so say their child fell ill and they had to sort of care but wanted to catch the lecture may choose to turn up mid way during the break. People always have reasons, you can't just assume it's down to a lack of commitment.

Reply 19

Pandabär

11

My lectures are back-to-back, alternating between the arts and science blocks. They are a good 20 minute walk away from each other. Either I go to no lectures, or I go to all of them, arriving late and leaving early.

I wish they were located all in one building, but they aren't. Until my uni sorts this out, I'm not going to miss lectures that I'm paying for, just because you don't like me creeping in 10-15 minutes late.

(Disclaimer: I go in the back entrance to disturb less people, I also close the door softly, and sit in the first available seat, to avoid disturbances.)

(edited 11 years ago)

Why do people think its OK to come into a lecture halfway through?

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