How do I avoid these embarrassing situations?

@Mtl_zack Love the tags, heehee.

I don’t think you should have to worry about people humping in the office. I would be more upset that people are that unprofessional.
You could get a do not disturb sign for the door knob.

Have a code- like a towel draped over a doorknob?

That or you just knock before entering every time.

If it’s a school newspaper, they really shouldn’t be going at it in the room. Let them find a different place to be intimate. That room should be used for work. You guys are just lucky to have your own newspaper room. My school has 5 classes that share the same room so it’s always trashed

Ummm, yes that is something to worry about. The newspaper is entirely run by 18 year olds. No teachers, administrators, etc…No censorship except for racist/homophobic/intollerance remarcks.

And it’s a weekly paper and always comes out on time

And it’s the best CEGEP newspaper in the province and therefore the world. Our paper has an amazing reputation across Canada. Professionalism is not an issue.

The fact that it does come out weekly just gives you a better reason to go in there and not have to worry about it. You’re on a deadline, you have to go in and out. Now I’m just jealous though, haha. Mine comes out once every two months…

Well, I don’t write. I’m distribution manager, and I kinda mooch off the facilities, and I just chill in the office. But I do go in to write essays and assignments because it’s a nice work environment. And I keep all my books in there.

Maybe tomorrow I’ll to to student affairs and double check locker availability. I could work in the library I guess.

Or, you could secretly plant a remote webcam in there. Check the cam for activity before you go in, and voila, you’re safe. Of course, there could be other uses, but hey, that’s up to you.

Ok, j/k

well. since it is on campus and it is a business, it should be run as professional as possible. Sleeping, ok. People getting physical, not. I would be pissed if i had to cock-block someone in the office. That’s effin dumb.

@shilolo I am a business major and i smell entrepreneur possibilities…....

It’s not a business. We get revenue from the student union (student fees), and there are no salaries imvolved.

As crazy as this sounds, we follow Michael Scott protocol. Good environment = good work.

Knock, pause, enter.

no. @augustlan Too calm…
Yell Police! then proceed through the door at a velocity in which, it is an act of god, the door stay on the hinges. that would be hilarious if 2 people were on the couch.

You’re not the one that should be embarrassed. These people have beds and should be doing what their doing in the privacy of their own space, which is NOT the common space of a newspaper office. While the newspaper office is not “public space” it is “common work space.” It is a business space, and there is no inferred expectation of privacy, locked doors or not. The locked door is to safeguard the computers, not give people privacy. That being said, it’s not a bad idea, if you know someone could be in there, once you open the door to announce yourself before flipping on the light. If it really gets to be a problem—as in, walking in on the same person all the time, talk to the faculty advisor.

This is really not an appropriate use of your newsroom. You should instate a policy so as to stop the making out in the room. You are a newsperson, your purpose is to be in that room using it to your advantage. The room’s purpose is NOT for others to have fun messing around on the couches. Don’t try to make some code like a scrunchie on the doorknob – these people have bedrooms they can fuck around in, they should not be doing so on campus itself.

Enter the office as often as possible, and don’t excuse yourself if people are “getting intimate”. Instead, have a seat and start carrying on a conversation with them. Comment on their techniques and physiques while you’re at it.

Eventually, people will realize this office is not a location in which they can expect privacy for such activities. Thus you’ll no longer walk in on them.

You’re not doing anything wrong. If they’re embarassed to be walked in on, so much the better. Maybe they’ll learn something from it.

LOL4RL @MrItty and @Kiev749 and @shilolo.
i agree with just about everything that has already been said. except maybe mostly with the ‘knock pause proceed’ rule. that would probably work best, but hey. who am i to ruin the fun? try a different way every day. mix it up! haha

Maybe your paper could put out a special edition on STDs.

So today I got a locker. Actually, I had one for a year, but apparently I forgot where it was and the combo. Now, I retrieved the location and combo and I plan on using it.

Thanks for all the advice, but I think it would be better to avoid entering the office altogether because apparently they think I’m annoying.

They think you’re annoying?!? That’s a lotta’ nerve right there.

Ya. I get the feeling like they think that I don’t belong there and am just mooching off the computers and they think I’m just a paperboy.

I’m gonna avoid them for a while. Besides, I have work to do.