Smokers at UNC

I plan to observe the smokers on the UNC campus. I have been walking past them since the beginning of the school year; however, I have always just ignored their existence until now. Though, a few days ago, I was exposed to the cigarette smoke as I walked past them, which really bothered me. I finally acknowledged their existence. So, I decided to find out why they were there in the first place. Upon doing some research, I found out that the smokers are prohibited to smoke within 100-feet of all campus buildings. Therefore, the flag pole is one of the few places on campus where smoking is not forbidden. Hence, a lot of the smokers have to gather around the flag pole in order to smoke.

Consequently, I chose to observe the behaviors of the smokers at the flag pole, because I wanted to know how they interacted with each other, and how the behavior of the others, outside of their microculture, was towards them. My main concern was finding out why they chose to gather there and smoke instead of anywhere else on the campus. My hypothesis was that they were able to socialize with others that they had something in common with and because the flag pole is very conveniently located. Hence, most of the smokers choose to go to the flag pole to smoke. Also, the people who do not want to be exposed to the secondhand smoke can easily choose to avoid walking by them.

Studying this microculture can broaden the views of the larger UNC community, because not many people understand the views of the smokers. So many people tend to ignore people who do not have similar views or interests as them, but one can learn to appreciate others by understanding the reasons for their behaviors. Hence, observing the smokers at the flag pole can provide one with a better understanding of them as human beings and their beliefs and values.