[ot-caption title=”Jake Gilbert (left) holds hands with Julia Montgomery (right).  Too cute or too much? (via Sabine Katsoulos, junior)”]

It’s an extraordinarily controversial topic here at the Pine: how much is too much when it comes to public displays of affection, more commonly referred to as PDA?  Girls are asked to elongate their skirts in order to minimize the distraction rate, but perhaps couples should tone it down as well.  Or, perhaps displaying affection publicly only bothers those that allow it to bother them.

To some students and faculty, the PDA is a little too excessive. English teacher Dr. Turnbull commented, “A public display of affection is very human. However, it can be distracting and can also make others feel left out because it is a sign of exclusivity. So, as we look at school as a professional setting, it should be avoided.” Defining public boundaries is different for everyone, however.  When asked how much is too much she replied, “Hand holding is okay, but you don’t want to treat anyone, even if you have a relationship with them, different than anyone else. So if you would hold hands with everyone then it is okay, but otherwise it’s not great and should be avoided.”

Sophomore Haydn Norris took a similar point of view and said, “When two of your closest friends are in relationships and they just stand there being all ‘coupley’ and you have to stand there on your phone; it gets really irritating. Also, it’s just kind of annoying walking to a class and you just see, like, a row of couples together.”

Junior Sam Wurth also stands against PDA. He commented, “Coming from the perspective of a single person, it can be viewed as annoying and a little too provocative.”

However, some people don’t seem to mind it. They argue that it’s okay for couples to publicly show that they are together. Freshman Sammy Restrepo stated, “I don’t mind it as long as it’s not, like, interrupting my daily life. It usually doesn’t bother me.”

Junior Max Rubinoff agrees with Sammy. He added, “PDA is something that you are just always going to see whether you are at school, the mall, restaurants or basically anywhere else. I think that it is completely normal and okay if couples are showing affection because it just shows how much they like each other. Of course, there is a point when it is a little too much and it becomes inappropriate rather than ‘cute.’  It is a very fine line, but most couples understand that.”

So, no matter which camp you fall into, you may just have to deal with all the PDA.  But, to the couples of PC: remember this is a school setting, and sometimes a little goes a long way.