Faceplant!

My faith has been restored.
After the first week of school, I was truly wondering where all the nice people had gone. Eager to get to their classes, students thought nothing of stepping on toes and letting go of doors, only to maim their fellow academics. I personally experienced some elbows and shoving that I know I really didn’t appreciate. I understand that there is only 10 minutes between classes, but giving someone a broken toe so you can slip into the last seat of biochemistry is still not OK in my book.
Today, however, I was impressed by a certain individual’s compassion and now know that ETSU’s campus is not full of evil people willing to use you as their personal punching bag.
I was headed to my In-depth Reporting Class and feeling out of shape, I decided to use the stairs. Halfway between the third and fourth floors, the toe of my red slip-on shoe got wedged underneath a stair and caused me to do a major faceplant.
My cute pink notebook went flying, as did my purse and iPOD. I’m sure I was a truly spectacular sight in the stairwell as I tumbled to my doom.
I was also, unfortunately, wearing a dress, which let my fellow inhabitants of the stairwell glimpse my lovely underwear.
Bruised and fully expecting to slink off into Humiliation Land alone, I started to gather my belongings.
But lo and behold, a girl who had witnessed the whole thing did not mock my lack of coordination and simply asked if I was OK and if I needed help.
Finally! I had my proof that there are still nice people in the world.
All good deeds may not get an essay like this one, but I still want ETSU students to remember that walking beside you on the way to Rogers-Stout and standing in line at the campus Burger King, there are human beings just like you that would appreciate common courtesy.
Hold open a door a few seconds longer for someone else. Try not to plow through your classmates on the way to class. And remember to thank people for their small acts of kindness.
Thanks, hallway girl.