Purpose and passion are displayed every day all over campus. But when it comes to finding ways to get to the front of lines in the dining hall, integrity may be getting cut.

When lines are long and busy, it is common for people to find their friends and stand with them, cutting the many students who have already been standing in line.

The dining hall can become a zoo with kids racing to lines for food at the hot bar and grill. Commonly observed line cutting schemes observed by The Willistonian include classics like the back cut and shaking hands and pretending to talk to your friends who are in line just to end up sneaking in with them.

First-year Skyler Walker is not a fan of line cuts, and there are certain times she will say something.

“I don’t like it very much when people cut because I find it rude and selfish,” she said. “If only one person cuts, I won’t confront them unless I know them. But if multiple people cut, I will try and say something.”

A senior boarder says there is some type of cap on the amount of people who she will let cut her in line.

“I think cutting is okay, but it becomes a problem when it is more than a couple people,” the senior, who wished to remain anonymous, said. “I let one or two people cut me and I get annoyed once it actually affects the time I get to the front.”

A two-year senior understands people want to be in line together, but she has her limits.

“I’ll occasionally let a few people cut me to be with their friend, however, once it becomes a whole group, I tend to get annoyed,” she said.

Contrastingly, a six-year senior is irritated when they are cut in line.

“I think it is mostly frustrating because it feels disrespectful and as though the person cutting only thinks about themselves,” she said. “I do my best to try and tell people that it is not okay, but honestly it is hard when it’s a whole group and if they cut somewhere not right where I am in line.”

Line cutting can have some major consequences out in the world. The cutting in the dining hall is only a small example of one place it happens.

A 2021 press release issued by the Washington State Patrol outlines that line cutting for many ferry terminals in the state is now against the law, and the infraction could earn violators a $139 ticket.