Observation: People

This morning, I spent the block of time between this class and my 8am Chemistry at the Burger King near Pamplin Hall. I sat at my usual spot, at a table by the window, and set up my laptop. With my notebooks displayed before me so I would look less conspicuous, I began to observe those around me.

Around 9:30 am, it was fairly quiet, even though there was a gentle, steady stream of people coming and going. People walked in quietly to order food or to find a table to study. Occasionally, someone would ascend from the basement stairway, walk past the tables, and exit the building. Others entered from outside and grabbed a coffee from the shop across the room. Of the people I saw, 99% were students. I only saw one middle-aged couple chatting at one table and another man who looked like he could have been a professor. Aside from the employees behind either of the counters, everyone looked like an undergrad student.

I could look out the window and see scatters of people passing by. They all had backpacks slung over their shoulders, sunglasses on their heads, and sandals on their feet. There were the occasional girls who refused to wear backpacks and sported large purses or tote bags instead. Most wore T-shirts and shorts and some were talking on cell phones or texting. I never saw anyone rushing, and I saw very few walking with someone else. They strolled singly down the criss-crossed paths toward their various destinations. They all seemed to be lost in thought, concentrating on their next task or plan of action. And though they appeared preoccupied, they always walked as if they knew exactly where they were going and why.