Humans, by nature, are talkative. People like having someone to talk to and the phrase ‘awkward silence’
exists because of the necessity of communication. This need to communicate is no different (it may even be
greater) in teenagers.
People talk in the hallways everyday. Such conversations range in topic from the normal to the strange. There is the boring stuff: who has what grade in which class, the recent break ups and hook ups, or the basics of the latest parties. Contrary to popular belief, that is not all that students talk about as they go about their days.
While some students are talking about their everyday lives, there are those that decide to make their conversations more interesting, either for themselves or for those around them. “I always seem to hear the most odd parts of conversations!” said junior Caitlin Larsen.
“I think [the conversations] allow people to express just how insane in the membrane other people are,” said junior Amjad Vongsengxay. In between classes or at lunch is a convenient time for students to express themselves. It may be crazy, serious, or melancholy, but the most interesting conversations are the silly ones.
Walking down the hall, students often hear groups of people laughing. “I have lots of inside jokes with my friends,” said sophomore Kara Huber. “Random subjects like fish or Fuze; things that makes sense to us, but no one else.”
Junior Rachel Benson said that any conversation could sound weird if a person came in at the wrong time. However, some conversations really are just weird. Senior Deanna MauchleyMatt Layton once heard someone talking about a polar bear that ate someone’s finger off. remembers having a conversation about dogs with three eyelids. Junior
Senior Nick Adamson said he once had a conversation about how beans will one day “rise up,” and after that bears would be in congress. Vongsengxay said he remembers hearing this in the halls: “You did what? With who? For how many jelly beans?”
It does not matter whether a person is leading the conversation, listening to it or hearing a piece of it as they walk by. A random and strange conversation is sometimes just what students need.
These seemingly nonsensical conversations often have the ability to brighten a person’s day or simply put a smile on the face of a student walking the halls alone. Mauchley said that she thinks the silly things heard in the halls are a good way to start a conversation.
Communication is a vital part of human life. Who cares if conversations are a little strange sometimes? In the words of senior Lacey Cotrell, “Without weird conversations, our lives would be as boring as dry oatmeal!”
