We’ve all been there. You’re on the T, journeying home after a long day. As hard as you try to stay in your personal bubble and ignore the people around you, they’re not making it easy. One person is loudly FaceTiming their boyfriend, and two seats down, somebody has put their bare feet on the seat across from them. Like everything else in life, there are basic unspoken rules to follow on the T. 

I’ll start off with one that should be very clear to the masses, but sadly doesn’t seem to be: Do not, under any circumstances, clip your toenails on the T. I moved from Dallas, Texas, to Boston when I was 16 years old. Dallas doesn’t have a comprehensive public transportation system; it is primarily a driving city. Therefore, when I stepped foot on the T for the first time I wildly underestimated the audacity people have when on public transportation. But there I was, on my first trip on the Red Line on the way to my new high school, and some man across from me was clipping his toenails. 

We all need to clip our toenails. Honestly, I appreciate his foot hygiene. That said, there is a time and a place for it. And the Red Line is not the time nor the place. Think of all the potential toenail clipping settings: at home, in a public restroom, even in a bush! Not on the T. It’s unhygienic, unappealing to watch, and then there’s man toenails all over the floor. 

I’ve set the bar low, but there are many small behaviors that make the list too. FaceTiming on the T is a tricky one. Please, please don’t FaceTime without headphones on. I am not interested in hearing your personal conversation, especially if it’s a fight with your mom or a sappy conversation with your boyfriend. FaceTiming with headphones on at a quiet level is slightly more acceptable. 

Recently, I was on the Green Line to Copley Square and the train was incredibly crowded, like a smelly tin of sardines (so I’ve heard, I don’t eat sardines). A woman got on the train and proceeded to loudly talk on the phone about how crammed it was. She ranted about tourists and the disrespect people had to simply also be on the T at the same time that she was. On some level, I appreciate her boldness, but at the end of the day we were all trying to get to our destinations, just as she was. Loudly denouncing all other passengers on the T? Not proper etiquette. 

Let’s talk about how to occupy physical space on the T, specifically seating. Seating on the T has the same rules as peeing in a urinal—well, so I’ve heard. If there are multiple open seats, don’t sit directly next to someone. If you unnecessarily sit next to someone, it comes off as mildly creepy. 

Next, have basic common courtesy. If the T is crowded and you have a seat, be willing to give it up to someone who likely needs it more. This includes older people, people with mobility aids, pregnant people, people with small children, and the like. It’s the polite thing to do. 

There are countless unwritten rules about proper etiquette on the T. They can be tricky to decipher, but when in doubt, observe those around you. After all, if you’re reading this and you go to Simmons, you’re officially a Bostonian, not a tourist. Own it!