1). Are there group norms at SJSU? What are they? In the group of individuals that you spend time with, are there group norms? What are they? In both cases, how did you identify these norms? How did you adapt to these norms?
I'm one of the people who attend class and then leave campus, or if I do stay on campus it's because I need one of the campus's resources to do a homework assignment...and then I take off. However, I did catch a norm just today in my music class on campus. The class gets out at 1:15 pm and today the instructor put on a movie at about 12:50. The movie was still playing when 1:15 came around, which at this point students started checking their phones for the time and glancing at each other...as the instructor continued to sit in his chair and watch the movie. Seconds later, students start hesitantly standing up and walking out. Moments later, even more students stood up, shoving their books into their back packs to leave. At this point, the instructor calls out, "Remember no class on Monday." The norm I'm referring to is the instructor usually officially ending class at the designated time by saying "that's all," "goodbye," "thank you," etc., which then prompts students to stand up and leave. But what happens when the instructor is unaware of the time, like in the case I experienced today? Students awkwardly glance around the room at each other, while thinking, "Uh, can I go now?"
In my group of friends, the only norm I can really think of is how much we, sometimes brutally, joke around with each other; playing pranks, calling each other names when they do/say something stupid or sometimes not even then, making fun of them for a bad date experience and not letting them forget it happened for months down the line, etc. But we all know it's all in good fun and we know never to take it seriously and to laugh about it, and don't even give it a second thought because it's been going on for so long and we're so tight. We all adapted to these norms, especially in the beginning, by just getting the person back later on. And by now, years down the line from when it first started, it doesn't even phase us anymore...although it is still hilarious as ever.
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Hello JPPS2010,
ReplyDeleteHopefully, your experience have not happened in my class because our professors always concern the punctuality. In order to avoid any overrun in class, you may try every effort to remind the professor at ten minutes before the class ends. I hope it will be improved for this issue.
Apparently, I have found that your relationship with your group of friends is pretty good because your say,"Making fun of them for a bad date experience and not letting them forget it happened for months down the line, etc". Understandably, the true meaning of the friends is to support you and back you up when you are down. I really hope you and your friends can cherish the moments together.
Thank you,
Kam
I enjoyed reading your post. The example you gave was a great way to show a group norm that you wouldn’t think of. This has actually happened to me before. Our teacher kept talking after our time was up, and until that one brave student stood up and started walking out, we all stayed eyeing our watches. In regards to your second example of your personal group, I can also relate. My circle of friends is the same way. I remember some of the new girls joining our group. It took them a long time for them to understand how our group functioned. The comments/jokes being made were exactly that; jokes. We look back now and laugh at their first encounters. It has created some great stories.
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