As a Boston College Law student and double Eagle, the worst part of my day is not waking up early, reading unintelligible cases, or even waiting behind people who pay with cash at the dining halls. Instead, I have come to dread riding the buses to and from class. Bus etiquette has declined appallingly since I graduated last May. So, as a public service to BC undergraduates and law students alike, I encourage you to heed the following rules. First, and most importantly, wait until everyone has gotten off the bus before you begin boarding it. Mufasa had an easier time fighting through a wildebeest stampede than I do getting off a Newton bus. If you managed to get accepted to a Top 30 college, then you should understand that two groups of people cannot cross through a small door at the same time. Waiting for people to get off the bus first is not only common courtesy, but also more efficient. Second, if a bus is full, don’t try to get on it, wait for the next one. Nobody enjoys riding a bus so crowded that you can smell the bad decisions the person next to you made at Mary Ann’s last night. If a bus is full, just wait for the next one. As someone who minored in being late to class, I can assure you that nobody cares if you stroll in 5 minutes after the teacher starts lecturing. Finally, check to make sure you are getting on the right bus before you board it. The human race spent thousands of years developing linguistics so that you could read the label on a bus that reads “Law School Express,” so seize the opportunity. These rules may seem blindingly obvious, but unfortunately most of your classmates do not follow them. A bus etiquette course would have many tangible benefits at BC, unlike the oxymoronic business ethics course also known as Portico. In the meantime, simply obey these three simple rules. It is difficult to go off and set the world aflame if you can’t even properly board the bus to get there.
Matt Palazzolo
BC ’13, Law ’16
