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Whether it’s a couple making out or just holding hands, PDA also known as public displays of affection is something we all see in the school halls. What might seem harmless to some, might make others gag.
Most draw a line where the affection taking place is a little too much for their comfort.
“Hugging is fine but kissing and that stuff, I think it’s gross to do,” freshman Arianna Pannunzio said.
Pannunzio isn’t alone in these thoughts. Recent NS Times survey results stated that out of 258 people 99 of them have dated someone in high school while 54 out of those 99 have partaken in PDA.
While most shared the same opinion of holding hands or hugging is where the line was drawn, some don’t care much at all.
“It starts getting weird when people start macking, but when it’s just a kiss on the lips and I see that I’m like, okay, whatever, it’s not ruining my day, so i’m just fine,” junior Beau Johnson said.
Austin Ison, a teacher at NS, thinks it’s mostly depending on how comfortable people may be with it.
“That’s hard because everyone has different things that creep them out, like it might bother someone that you’re holding hands with someone in front of them and others might not think it’s weird,” Ison said.
PDA hasn’t been seen as a huge problem at NS.
“I don’t actually notice it all that much at this school,” Johnson said.
Ison shared a similar view,
“I don’t feel like I see it all the time, and every now and then I see something but that’s about it,” Ison said.
Vice principal Ryan Syme gets to see students all day long, including students that show their affection, once it gets to a certain extent he has the ability to step in.
“If a reasonable person would find it offensive, and the average Joe would find it offensive, then it’s offensive. Then we respond to it,” Syme said. “But that’s the hard thing, to decide if it’s right or not.”
Syme hasn’t had to do anything to that extent, instead if it gets to a point, he’ll sit down and talk to them about it.
“I certainly don’t have a problem because it’s acceptable in society for a boyfriend or a girlfriend and a person that are in a relationship to do that,” Syme said.
A study done by Dr. Romanoff shows that some sort of PDA can help benefit and create a stronger relationship with one’s significant other. A downside is social norms may scare the couple because of how much hate they can receive.
With some of the PDA that happens, there are many stories that come with it.
“One time it was in the last week of school and I didn’t have a class. I walked back in here and I had been gone for a while, and there were like six kids all laying on the ground just cuddling together. They weren’t doing anything, but they were cuddling, it was really weird, and I just turned around and walked out. I didn’t come back for like another hour,” Ison said.
Another just happened in the next building over.
“I was in the seminary building and I looked over and this guy is trying to makeout with this girl and she smacked him and then she just walked away,” Pannunzio said.
