Most of the time I don’t think people are intentionally trying to step into other people’s private space, but I’ve been seeing it a lot lately.

I’ve noticed I get somewhat agitated at the people who walk way too close to my personal bubble.

I can’t say I’m not guilty of a few close-call collisions. There have been times where, before I know it, I’m practically on top of someone because I’m too wrapped up in my phone.

Or when I suddenly stop dead in my tracks to keep the shade on my phone so I can see the screen, not realizing several people behind me almost just got into a human train wreck.

Everyone has their own concept of spatial awareness; some people just don’t know when they’re crossing the lines of others.

A simple hair flip from the person sitting in front of me in class or the way guys tend to sit macho-man style, legs wide open like they own the place; whoa, that’s my space.

There’s also those people who post up right next to you while you wait for class, even if the whole hallway is wide open. On the other hand, there are those who stiffen at the touch of a side hug.

I’ve been to many different countries where the cultural views on person-to-person contact are very different than in the U.S.

The Swiss tend to keep their distance, the Indians usually stand quite close and the Brits, if they could, would stay a good arms width away if the tubes weren’t so jam-packed.

I feel like in America, especially in Chico where the university’s population is smaller than most, we’d have a little more elbow room.

Maybe taking a step back would do me some good every now and again, so that I can realize my surroundings and stay respectful of the comfort zones each and every one of us has created.

Julianna Eveland can be reached at [email protected] or @janeca12 on Twitter.