An unsuspecting student walks onto the Arcata High School campus at 8 am on a crisp Humboldt day. She is especially hungry today. She finds her way to the cafeteria to grab something for breakfast. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees a couple on top of each other, making out at the base of the flagpole. Her appetite has vanished.
The vast majority, 99.1%, of students on the Arcata High campus report seeing public displays of affection, or PDA, in the halls. 83% of those people find that PDA makes them uncomfortable, depending on extremity. Even those in a relationship can find PDA “kind of gross.”
“I used to be very anti-PDA, but that was also before I was in a relationship,” senior Ella Weatherbee said. “Even now, though, if it’s more than a peck, it’s too much.”
When someone sees those public displays of affection in the halls, it is easy to ask where they come from. Many wonder what drives PDA in the first place, whether it’s the flood of excitement coming from a new relationship, personal love languages, or relationship dynamics.
“When I was a sophomore, my ex-boyfriend was very fond of PDA; he really liked it. I felt like I was just along for the ride,” an anonymous senior said. “It didn’t make me unhappy in the moment, but looking back on how I acted, I’m mostly just embarrassed.”
Although every grade has perpetrators guilty of PDA acts, as people age and mature, they may find their social priorities have shifted. Younger students tend to have greater emotional shifts, less emotional regulation, and have stronger consuming feelings surrounding new relationships.
“It’s honestly a little bit of everyone. I would say it is a little more freshman and sophomores, though,” freshman Kelsey Allen said.
Students can feel as though school may be their only option to be affectionate with their significant other. However, many people consider a place of learning as not the right place for such acts.
Understanding and being mindful that society considers physical intimacy a private act promotes a healthier environment. Finding places other than school to express love to a partner, while it may be difficult, may be key to keeping students feeling comfortable on campus.
