Lines are everywhere: at the cafeteria, the ticket booth, the bus stop, the bathroom at halftime. A line is a simple, fair system, and it only works when everyone in it plays fair.
Key idea
Join a line at the end, leave a little space in front of you, keep your bag close, and don’t save places for friends who arrive later.
Why it works
A line is first come, first served, which is fair to everyone. Each person who joins in front of you makes everyone behind you wait longer, even if it is “just one friend.” A little space and a bag held close keep you from bumping people in a crowd, where everyone is already short on room.
Worked example: Friends arrive late
Sam is near the front of the line for the school play tickets. His friends Leo and Omar arrive and want to join him. What should Sam do?
- Saving places for friends who just arrived isn’t fair to the people behind him.
- Kindly say, “The line starts back there. I’ll wait for you inside.”
- Or Sam can go to the back with them, if he wants to stay together.
Answer: “The line starts back there. I’ll wait for you inside.”
Worked example: A crowded hallway
After an assembly, the hallway is packed. How can Ruby move through it politely?
- Keep to the right and move with the crowd.
- Hold her bag in front of her.
- If she bumps someone, say “Excuse me” or “Sorry.”
Answer: Keep right, bag close, and “excuse me” if she bumps someone.
Common mistake
Thinking saving spots for friends is fine. Each person who joins in front of you makes everyone behind you wait longer. If you want to be with your friends, join them at the back.
Customs differ. Holding one place for someone who steps away for a moment (to grab a napkin or use the restroom) and asks you to is widely accepted. Letting a group of late friends in is not. In some countries, lines work a little differently; follow what people around you do.