Oh my dear cellphone...time to give me a break!

I have always noticed students whip up their cellphone whenever they get on the campus bus or are having dinner at the dining hall alone.

It is like they have an obsessive need to never be caught doing anything alone...these people seem to think that if someone catches them alone or without talking to someone, they will be taken as a person who doesn't have such a social life or something like that.

As a second-year student, I smile when I see this especially happening with the freshman that I am surrounded by. Not that I am intentionally eavesdropping, but I have overheard some conversations and they go like this:
"Hey, what is up?"
"Not much"
"Well, I just thought I would call...since I am seeing you in like 5 minutes"
"Yeah, dude"
"See ya, then"

Then the caller moves on to the next person on their list. In fact, one of my friends actually mentioned that while he was waiting somewhere and got bored, he consequently called around 8 people to entertain him and I was one of the top on his list. I was shocked to hear this, and yet amused. I asked him why he simply couldn't read a book or a magazine. After all, he was at the airport...I can just get lost in an airport's glory...especially Chicago's airport...but not this guy...he had to look as if he was busy with someone on the phone.

Anyways...my heart reaches to some of these people, like for example, a particular freshman who I have ALWAYS seen on the while eating. From the minute she enters the dining room to the time she puts away her dishes...she is on the phone...why wouldn't someone just put the phone down and savor a nice meal with some relaxation.

Honestly, the phone hurts...it hurts to hold it after a while as well as my ear gets tired...so I have the tendency to not pick up my phone many times...eeks...and I get many reprimands about that especially from friends!!! Sorry, guys!!!

Lastly, I just want let these people know that I used to feel awkward too when I would be eating alone or on the bus alone and I also felt the need to talk to someone...in fact, I wouldn't even go to dinner unless I had someone to go with me! Naive me from last year.

This year, I honestly don't have time to coordinate my friends' schedules so I can have dinner or lunch with them...I savor my meal and relax while I am eating....every bite...without any interruptions. I don't feel the obsessive need to always be on the phone.

People need to realize that there is a different sense of peace in solace. Everyone tries to fit in and one tactic to fit in is through cellphones...but sometimes...they should just look beyond the materialism and not care what others think for once in their life!

Business World...What is up with it?

I have experienced this quite a few times and wonder why people are so offensive about other people's success. It is like professionals don't want to work themselves, but if someone does decide to take the bulk of the work, they instantly have to comment on that person as to why the other person is doing that work. I had a similar experience where I work and since I conduct workshops...I signed for about 8 and then as the sheet went around for the others to sign-up...3-4 girls commented about how much I had signed up. Initially, I thought if I could possibly be hogging the workshops but the point was that every workshop has two presenters so anyone could sign up besides me. Especially these two co-workers, one of them actually graduating this december was talking to another and kind of giggling and directly looking at me in terms of my workshops...and that was the height of unprofessionalism. Sometimes, women can be b***hy and some of them almost all the time...and one of them being her...
I have always maintained a professional air, yet a senior has the audacity to do that...obviously I believe I am better than that so I didn't really react, but it makes me reflect on what the professional world becomes eventually?

Why are people forced to choose between better professional relationships or competing with their co-workers to get ahead? And why should they choose since it is all about teamwork? Even though these people did not sign up for any workshops regardless, they had to make a comment. I suppose it is human nature to be competitive and defensive as soon as they realize that someone else could possibly be a threat...but the point is that there is no threat in this job since everyone has a secure position and will continue to do so.

Maybe I shouldn't be bothered by such things, but still it forces me to think that the world I am so eager to enter will be like this but with the ten times the intensity...yet we all want to be part of this world where anger erupts because of absolute no reason, or when someone is singled out just beacause they have the daring to be competitive and not be a sheep follower but a star follower, or when frustration is taken out on someone who had nothing to do with their original problems.

Similarly, my friend sitting right next to me was so open about it and said that we actually need people to fill the spots so it is okay if I am taking those many workshops...maybe the difference between men and women...

Anyhow, this particular lady explicitly stated that "Oh, you are signed up for 8 workshops," and I simply said, "Yes, I know." End of topic and no further discussion. I don't need to justify my decisions to my co-workers because they are my equals and today I realized that maybe they are not even my equals if they have that kind of unprofessional air about them and their persona. If my boss had asked a similar question, I would be totally agreeable and go on and explain...

Honestly, what happens to people? They change so fast...and are so fast to make remarks. How come I usually try to think and be considerate of others' feelings while other people just go on without any heed...? Maybe that is the difference, and I realize maybe just maybe because I have compassion or maybe I am just a fool and possibly too nice since I have heard that from a lot of people (the nice part, not the fool!)

Anyways...so this is my little personal experience and I wonder...and that particular woman who looked at me and giggled...I wish her bad luck (:P)...not that it is going to work...but she honestly had a superior air to her just because she was a senior...come on...I probably have ten times more experience than her...and still she had the nerve to...Umm-hmmm!!!

Anyways...that is about it! Obviously, I feel much better but I wanted to mention that initially I started to justify myself since I had a lot of 10-week courses so my first 4-6 weeks would be free...but that is when I realized that I need not to! :)

Any comments? Maybe, I am overreacting but honestly since I didn't say anything so I am rationlizing it and came up with this! :)