I am the offspring of two college professors. Due to the occasional absent babysitter, I’ve sat through huge lectures and small discussions since I was two years old. Early on, I learned my lesson not to talk in class. If I did, not only would I have been berated by the teacher (one my parents), but the punishment would have continued over into my home life. And trust me, nothing — not even time outs — could come between me and my love of “Sesame Street.”

The point is that I respect teachers. I’ve listened to rants for the past 19 years about frustration with student manners and apathy, in venues ranging from local workshops to Ivy-League institutions. I also realize that it’s a pain in the ass when you’re sitting in a class being constantly distracted by loud and obnoxious people who lack the term “quiet” in their lexicon. So, imagine my shock when I found myself being screamed at, by another student, for talking in the midst of a lecture.

Class was winding down, with only about ten minutes left. I was sitting with a friend of mine and something said by the instructor triggered a thought that we couldn’t hold in for a few more minutes. Immature, yes. Slightly inconsiderate, yes. But harmless. We whispered for approximately two seconds, and in a lecture where the teacher is forced to yell at a talker at least once in a session, barely audible. A student in front of us was apparently very distracted by our noise and responded by yelling profusely at the two of us for the remainder of the class.

Now, I’m sorry. But since when does making noise cure the problem of loudness? If I had been given the opportunity to apologize, I would have, no questions asked. No rudeness was intended to either this student or the professor. Yet, to berate my friend and me, judging and criticizing without any knowledge of the circumstances or situation, was no better than our whispers. I would have understood if this individual had turned around and asked us to be silent. I would not have opened my mouth for the rest of the semester.

I don’t mean to point fingers and tally up points, but in the game of who was ruder, I lost! I promptly left the class and called up to complain to no one other than academic Mommy. I told her what happened and here was her response:

“Daughter, you really should learn some patience and keep your mouth shut. But I would have been ten times more distracted listening to a student scream at another student than you whispering with one of your girlfriends.”

With that being said, I apologize to the above mentioned student for distracting her in lecture. However, said student, maybe you should consider your own behavior. You asked me why I even went to class if I was going to talk through it the entire time? The obvious answer is to learn. I just assumed that common courtesy and manners were a two way street, and not something you had to learn in a classroom.

Nora Slonimsky is a sophomore English and history major and the assistant op/ed editor.