# Pro tip: Never, ever sit at the front.



## InfiniteBlaze (Jan 27, 2011)

No SA person should ever sit near the front of the class. I usually like to sit in the middle but I decided that it would be a good idea to sit at the front this time around because I read that sitting in the front usually leads to better grades.

It's not worth the torture AT ALL. No difference in my grades and I get way too much attention from the professors and I often somehow get into incredibly awkward conversations with them.

Not only do I get attention from the professors but because I get more attention from them during lectures, people focus on me.

I hate sitting at the front so much.


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## FunkyFedoras (Aug 30, 2013)

Can't you sit in the 2nd or third row? That's sitting in the front without being right there. I sit at the front otherwise I wouldn't pay attention whatsoever.


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## jmjheart (Nov 7, 2013)

I can relate. I have never sat at the front of the class in my life. I always take the very back corner because its waaay more comfortable and I concentrate better without all the people staring


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## The Crow (Apr 17, 2012)

Off to the side of the room and in the first few rows is the way to go. Always.


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## South Keys (Nov 6, 2013)

Sides to the front or just right in the middle cause it allows me ask anyone a sheet of paper or anything I urgently need.


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## Myrthe (Nov 17, 2013)

I always feel like the teachers give the least attention to the people who are sitting in the front row, because they just assume you're paying attention. That's why I usually sit up front (or the second row)


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## ZADY (Nov 11, 2013)

Yeah, I'm most comfortable at the back. I once came late to a class and all the back seats were taken. There was only one spot left in the front and I was literally dying. I felt like everyone was staring behind me and I was so uncomfortable I couldn't focus.


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## Zack (Apr 20, 2013)

I sat in the middle and the seats all around me were always empty.


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## Radical But Legal (Aug 11, 2013)

That's not the case for me. If I sit at the back, there's always a ton of people whispering to each other, you hear the lecturer worse, it's harder to concentrate, much harder to see the blackboard. When I sit at the front, it's completely silent around me and I can hear everything clearly. Also, I don't see any people in front of me so I can usually forget that there are about a hundred students in the class.


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## Pieter1992 (May 4, 2013)

I always sit at the back. But then again, I barely pay attention -_-
most of the time i just study lol


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## Claudia87 (Aug 19, 2013)

In the back, off to the side, sitting at an angle is my M.O.


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## Xsy (Dec 7, 2009)

Right back-most corner FTW.


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## Rocklover639 (Jan 3, 2011)

I disagree sitting in the front helps but sure the first time you get called you'll be caught of guard and get nervous but after the first few times you will then feel calm and actually want the teacher to call on you more times. I know, I've done it before


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## DeeperUnderstanding (May 19, 2007)

I agree, it isn't worth the torture. Sitting at the front is generally terrible.


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## Just Lurking (Feb 8, 2007)

I found the front was OK in some big classes (lecture halls full of students), though I usually preferred the 3rd or 4th rows, or thereabouts.

For regular-sized classrooms, *no thanks* -- way too intimate for my liking. My strategy in those classes was usually a middle row and off to the side.



Radical But Legal said:


> That's not the case for me. If I sit at the back, there's always a ton of people whispering to each other, you hear the lecturer worse, it's harder to concentrate, much harder to see the blackboard.


^ Yeah, pretty much any time I ever sat towards the back in a lecture hall, this is what would happen -- the other students who wouldn't shut up, even while the teacher was mid-lecture.


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## probably offline (Oct 8, 2012)

I love the front, because there are less heads who can turn around to look at me while I'm speaking.


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## DeeperUnderstanding (May 19, 2007)

I never sit in the back anymore. I have terrible eyesight, and having ADHD too, I would always miss something.

I tend to look for a comfy spot in the third or fourth row. Sometimes the second row, if I'm feeling ambitious.

I never go to the front row, because I think that's where all the goodie-goodies sit, lol.


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## InfiniteBlaze (Jan 27, 2011)

probably offline said:


> I love the front, because there are less heads who can turn around to look at me while I'm speaking.


That doesn't do much to comfort me. I can feel people judging me when I speak. I almost had a panic attack when I got called on and didn't know the answer


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## InfiniteBlaze (Jan 27, 2011)

Radical But Legal said:


> That's not the case for me. If I sit at the back, there's always a ton of people whispering to each other, you hear the lecturer worse, it's harder to concentrate, much harder to see the blackboard. When I sit at the front, it's completely silent around me and I can hear everything clearly. Also, I don't see any people in front of me so I can usually forget that there are about a hundred students in the class.


I'd say sitting too close to the front or back is bad. Try to sit as close to the back as you can without losing the ability to hear the lecturer.


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## probably offline (Oct 8, 2012)

InfiniteBlaze said:


> That doesn't do much to comfort me. I can feel people judging me when I speak. I almost had a panic attack when I got called on and didn't know the answer


It helps _me_ because I have a blushing problem c:


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## nobodyimportant55 (Oct 23, 2013)

The Crow said:


> Off to the side of the room and in the first few rows is the way to go. Always.


 they put that in saints row 4


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## tooafraid (Nov 22, 2013)

No I hate sitting at the front or where I'm noticeable as I'm scared there would be an impromptu activity and I'd be easily picked.


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## lockS (Sep 15, 2011)

Call me a bad student...I ALWAYS sit in the back.
That's my spot >:] *****es better back off haha...
Only at exams I'm sometimes forced to sit in the front row.


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## Greenleaf62 (Aug 1, 2013)

I don't like sitting at the front because I feel like everyone sitting behind me is watching me. So then it's like I can't relax or move at all until the class is over.


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## Mr Bacon (Mar 10, 2012)

Myrthe said:


> I always feel like the teachers give the least attention to the people who are sitting in the front row, because they just assume you're paying attention. That's why I usually sit up front (or the second row)





Radical But Legal said:


> That's not the case for me. If I sit at the back, there's always a ton of people whispering to each other, you hear the lecturer worse, it's harder to concentrate, much harder to see the blackboard. When I sit at the front, it's completely silent around me and I can hear everything clearly. Also, I don't see any people in front of me so I can usually forget that there are about a hundred students in the class.


Exactly, I agree. I never get called out when at the first row, the professor would rather mess around with those who aren't listening in the back. Reverse psychology, I presume. Plus, listening to the course is more important than anything else, it should be the priority.


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## eveningbat (Jan 21, 2013)

If the teacher is too emotional is is not advisable to sit in front. My university teacher of German was extremely emotional, she was furious in fact. And it was not safe to sit near her. She used to shout and slap her hand on the table in fury.


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## A Banana (Nov 22, 2013)

I don't really care where I sit. If I see a cute girl, I'll try to sit next to her, otherwise I usually sit near the door. I've actually fallen asleep sitting in the front row many times


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## another1 (Sep 5, 2013)

I always sat near the door in case I needed to bolt, which I've done a couple times right in the middle of class because of the anxiety.


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## NomadicWonder (Nov 15, 2013)

I never sit in the back or in the middle. I always sit in the front because sitting in back looking at two dozen heads always makes me nervous, and if I were to speak, they would all look at me. Whenever I sit in the front all I see is the professor, and can even have mini conversations with him/her without having to worry about seeing people stare at me.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Sitting in the back during exam time can be bad. It's so distracting hearing people cheat and whisper to each other during an exam. And my blood pressure rises because the cheating is pissing me off.


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## InfiniteBlaze (Jan 27, 2011)

I'm not saying you should sit all the way in the back where you can't hear/see anything and are surrounded by mother****ers who don't give a damn about school. Just don't sit in the front row. Don't be too close to the professor.


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## typicalanimal (Oct 15, 2013)

If it's an old-style lecture theatre that goes around (sort of like many movie or drama theatres), then in front and off to the side may be the way to go. You don't have to see a large amount of people in front of you then.


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## eveningbat (Jan 21, 2013)

InfiniteBlaze said:


> I'm not saying you should sit all the way in the back where you can't hear/see anything and are surrounded by mother****ers who don't give a damn about school. Just don't sit in the front row. Don't be too close to the professor.


Rough but quite right.


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## DeeperUnderstanding (May 19, 2007)

komorikun said:


> Sitting in the back during exam time can be bad. It's so distracting hearing people cheat and whisper to each other during an exam. And my blood pressure rises because the cheating is pissing me off.


This doesn't happen at my college, thankfully.


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## boas (Jun 9, 2013)

The far end of the 3rd or 4th row is usually where I aim for. Also, at my uni, a sign-in sheet tends to be circulated, and if you sit too far from anyone, you have to stand up, mid-lecture, and walk it to the nearest person. So I make sure I'm, at most, 4 seats away from another student as well. That's my system and it doesn't let me down.


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## Melodies0fLife (Sep 17, 2012)

I used to always sit near the front but never directly in front. Sneaky professors that like to call on people sometimes aim in the middle or back of the pack. If you have someone that speaks often near you in the front, it safeguards you from getting picked on; sort of like a "safety zone." :lol However, in small classrooms, I'm usually near the exit door so when it's time to leave, I can pack up and leave in 2 seconds.


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## Raeden (Feb 8, 2013)

Radical But Legal said:


> That's not the case for me. If I sit at the back, there's always a ton of people whispering to each other, you hear the lecturer worse, it's harder to concentrate, much harder to see the blackboard. When I sit at the front, it's completely silent around me and I can hear everything clearly. Also, I don't see any people in front of me so I can usually forget that there are about a hundred students in the class.


This, exactly.

I don't really tend to sit in the very front row that often anymore. In giant lecture halls, I tend towards the 3rd row off the the farthest left side of the center row. However, in really small classes that have less than about 30 people, I tend to always just sit in the front row next to the wall. I prefer it because most people don't sit in the front row during small classes, so I have plenty of breathing space.

I've sometimes sat in the front row during large lecture halls, but it always makes me feel strangely awkward. It's probably partially due to all of the over-achievers crowding in hoping that their efforts will render them as the professor's favorite. At least, this was my experience in organic chemistry, and then I just never could be bothered to sit in the front again after that class.

I hate the back rows even more than the front, though, because of all of the whispering. I tend to sit in the back row for my giant humanities class just because I do my homework while I'm in the lecture and I don't wish to annoy my professor by blatantly not paying attention to him.


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## Ahzuran (Nov 11, 2013)

I love sitting in the front most of the time because it gets me out of my comfort zone and forces me to actually listen to the lectures. Yes, it can be a bit awkward and discomforting when my prof is looking right at me while talking to the class, but it's still better than sitting in the back where I'll probably won't be paying attention at all.


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## InfiniteBlaze (Jan 27, 2011)

I currently have a professor who picks on students...but only the ones in the front row. He humiliated the absolute hell out of one guy who didn't know his stuff.

Heed my warning, fellow students. This will save you from copious amounts of humiliation in the future.


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## BAH (Feb 12, 2012)

Sitting in the back is not always a good thing either


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## Higgins (Apr 19, 2012)

It's best to figure out your professors' game before choosing to always sit in the front or the back. I know I feel more comfortable towards the front in most classes, but I'm definitely not going to be doing that for algebra if I can help it because the professor likes picking on people in the front and makes them feel embarrassed if they don't know the answer the problem or how to respond to one of his strange, irrelevant musings...


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## masterridley (Jan 20, 2007)

During my whole school career I sat at the front desk!

I don't know why I did that, it was ridiculous.

Oh, and one time some bit.ch even wrote things on my back without me realizing.

Good times


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## nothing else (Oct 27, 2013)

Middle seats are the safest bet.


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## sandy7 (Oct 16, 2012)

Well I guess conversations with lecturers wouldn't be a very bad thing for me, unless I don't know the subject  They are probably more mature and respectful people to talk to after all. But then, at the front row I feel like everyone can see me...not pleasant.


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## SaladDays (Nov 26, 2013)

I was at the front for two years in Highschool (had no choice) .Now I'm at the back,but sadly in the middle.I agree with what you said about the attention,sometimes it's good but usually it isn't :c


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## wmu'14 (Sep 17, 2010)

The Crow said:


> Off to the side of the room and in the first few rows is the way to go. Always.


Yup, that's my preference. But now I just sit where ever's closest to the door. That way I don't have to hike all the way across the room for a minute in front of people to get to a preferred seat. If the door is in the back, I'll sit at the seat right next to it. If it's near the front, though, I'll sit to the side. Sitting the side means no one is sitting on one side of me and so I don't feel claustrophobic. It gives me my space. Also, since the instructor will be looking out in front of him, I'll only be in his peripheral vision.


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## tooafraid (Nov 22, 2013)

I hate sitting in the front as those are the ones who normally get picked when the lecturer decides to choose someone for a demonstration.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

I don't even know how people get to choose their favorite spot. By the time I got to most of my classes most of the seats were full. I don't know how so many get to class so early.


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## ForeverInBloom (Oct 4, 2010)

I've done this before, and frankly, it seems I'm better off sitting in the back since I'm always focusing better on taking notes and listening rather than being in the front, since the professors sometimes pick on someone and ask them some questions.

Lol...I hear you man.


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## MajorGravy (Mar 15, 2014)

Sitting close to the front is ok for me like 2nd or third seat close to the center of the room so you can clearly see what the professor writes on the board and hear them. When your in 2nd or 3rd seat your not right in the professors face so they don't call on you as often. Also the benefits include not being distracted by those who sit in the back and goof off or talk a lot and you are paying attention to the lecture at hand instead of being able to see the rest of the students in front of you when your in the back which might be a distraction.


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## hopeless93 (Apr 20, 2012)

Agreed. I avoid sitting in the front like the plague. I prefer the comfort of sitting in the back row.


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## justbecause (Feb 27, 2014)

I sit at the back in all my classes apart from one.


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