Allison Young, sophomore psychology major, said she probably avoids different people a couple of times a day.
“I usually do because I am in a hurry to get to work or class, but then on occasions because I am not in the mood to chat,” she said.
But Young is not the only student to consciously redirect her path to escape another’s direct line of sight.
Justin Davis, senior psychology major, said he rarely avoids people, and if he does, it is because he feels that running into them would cause an awkward situation.
But how does one accomplish this feat? Do they dive into bushes? (Because that could cause serious injuries or, at least, splinters.)
Sarah Caitlin Wheat, freshman kinesiology major, said she avoids people like a pro.
“I look down when I see someone walking towards me or just plain pretend that I do not see them,” she said. “Sometimes I have even turned around and taken another sidewalk to try to blend in with the crowd to avoid talking to people I know. All of these techniques have been used in college this year, if not in the past two weeks.”
The habit of avoiding people can be more than just “not being in the chatty mood.” Avoidant Personality Disorder, also known as AvPD, is characterized by repetition of chronic shyness, the idea of being incompetent or lesser, as well as severe sensitivity to rejection or disapproval, according to bipolarcentral.com.
“Avoidant Personality patients want close relationships, but they are afraid of humiliation or rejection. So these patients establish a distance between themselves and others,” bipolarcentral.com said. “The patient with the avoidant ‘style’ leads a relatively normal life, while those with the classic ‘avoidant disorder’ struggle to function.”
The act of strategically checking one’s phone at a personally opportune time does not directly mean one has AvPD.
 ”I think that when I begin to avoid people it really is a wake up call that maybe I am insecure about something or myself, or maybe that I just need a break from people to recharge,” Wheat said.
For more information, help, or counseling in regard to AvPD, contact Student Counseling Services, located in Hathorn Hall, at 325-2091 to make an appointment.