When we're kids we dream of being grown-ups. We play pretend dress up in our mom's heels and jewelry and we pretend to play house, things of that nature (although, in retrospect, I can't imagine why I liked playing house. Now that I have an apartment, I hate cooking and cleaning!). When we're little, adulthood is this coveted and mysterious world that we can't wait to learn the secrets of.
As a kid, there was nothing that would make me happier than to hear the words, "you're like a little adult!" or "you're only eight? I thought you were at least ten!" etc, etc. I would literally squirm with delight.
Now, I'm in twenties (barely, but still). I'm technically an adult, not only by my age, but also by the responsibilities that I've assumed. I'm financially independent from my parents, I live on my own (with roommates) in a decent sized city, and I have a job. Yet . . . if someone called me an adult now, I would squirm uncomfortably.
A few days ago, someone called me a woman. The person who said this meant it as a compliment and the statement was attached to a really sweet sentiment, but hearing "you're an incredible and amazing woman" made me squirm a little. Woman. Not girl. WOMAN.
When I hear the word "woman" two images pop into my head. The first is an image of the stereotypical executive business woman: suit, heels, stern face, hair pulled back in a bun, and generally miserable.The second is the iconic image of Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany's. These are what I think of when I hear the word "woman". Not someone walking around a college campus in teeshirt and jeans. Basically, not me.
Now that I've entered that realm of where people identify me as a woman (apparently) I don't know I'm ready. I don't know I'm ready to be--or even want to at this point--a woman yet. It's the label I guess that freaks me out. It's just weird to have that realization you know?
Well, maybe soon I'll learn some of those secrets of this world we all coveted as kids, until then though, who knows?
Monday, February 4, 2013
Friday, February 1, 2013
iPod's and Introverts
I remember going to New York City on a field trip when I was in high school. Skyscrapers, insane traffic, Times Square, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and so many other wonders greeted us that first morning when we pulled into the city. You think that one of the landmarks or tourist attractions would be what I remembered most, wouldn't you?
But what resonated with me most was the amount of people that were walking around with iPod's in their ears, totally oblivious to the world around them.
At first, I was (perhaps naively) concerned for their safety. After all, New York City is supposed to be incredibly dangerous right? What if someone came up and tried to mug them? Someone listening to whatever song was popular in 2009 ("Down" by Jay-Z?) wouldn't be able to hear and fend off a mugger. They'd be so easy to sneak up on!
After my silly concern for their safety passed, then I was kind of annoyed. By popping in one's iPod one clearly sends the signal "don't talk to me and don't bother me". These people were being incredibly antisocial and missing out because they were stuck in their own little music world. And, in my opinion, these people were being incredibly rude.
I ranted about this randomly on the trip, driving my friends nuts. And still today if someone asked me what surprised me about New York, my answer would be "the amount of people walking around listening to their iPod's!" But, then I would also have to wryly laugh and add that I'm guilty of doing the very thing that most annoyed me and surprised me about that great city.
A few years after that trip I moved to Athens and started college. And again, a sea of people walking around in their own little world and ignoring people because of the music from their iPod's, greeted me. And again, I had the same exact reaction (Athens isn't New York, but there are definitely still some sketchy areas). Except, I felt like if any thing, things were even worse in Athens and around campus because people would pop their music in and get on the bus and not talk or smile or even acknowledge the person in the seat next to them. And that's heartbreaking (yes, I realize I sound like a sappy old lady).
I'm a little ashamed to admit that I succumbed to the social pressures of my peers. I had been living here maybe two months before one day while I was walking around, I decided to pop my iPod in. And it's been downhill from there. Sure, at first I felt really on edge and like someone was going to rape me because my guard was down, but then I realized why people do it: it's kind of a de-stressor to be able to chill out to the dulcet tones of Missy Higgins or Ray LaMontagne in between classes, ignore that annoying person from your hall freshman year that you don't want to talk to, avoid an awkward eye-contact moment with the guy that lives across from you that you're crushing on, and of course, it's nice to be able to quench the curiosity of what's going on on Twitter or Facebook.
Basically, since that day, thanks to technology, I've kind of become an antisocial introvert when I'm out in public.
Technology is great. It really is. Without technology, can you imagine how different our world would be? With the advent of the internet and social networks like Facebook and programs like Skype and even FaceTime (thanks Apple!), I'm able to keep in touch with friends and family in different parts of the country and even on the other side of the world. And that's pretty neat.
A side note: my dad is just discovering Skype and FaceTime and has within the last six months become obsessed. Another great thing about technology: it's responsible for giving me many laughs (and frustrations) in the last six months as my parents try and learn the ins and outs of FaceTime.
Anyways, as I was saying, iPods, Skype, Facebook (although I prefer Twitter personally at the moment) and oh! blogs of course, are great. But because of them, wouldn't you agree that while our generation is becoming amazing techies, our generation is also becoming increasingly antisocial. But only when faced with real-life situations, you know?
What I mean is that we've becoming social networking nuts. I know that I am guilty of being in the same room with my friends and tweeting at them or texting them instead of just talking to them. Now, I could play this off and say I'm tweeting because it's fun (because it IS!) or I don't want to be disruptive while we're watching The Bachelor, but that would be a lie. Or, at least it would be half a lie--being disruptive while The Bachelor is on is a capital crime. But really, sometimes I'll tweet or text because I have something to say that I'm afraid to say out loud. Or something like that. And that's kind of scary, how technology is simultaneously making us antisocial and emboldening us. Like, whoa.
So, now that I've ranted, I don't really know how to wrap this all up (this always happens to me, fun fact). But I guess I'll end with saying that having written this and remembered how alarmed and weird I felt in New York and when I first moved to Athens, I'm going to try to make a conscious effort to not be that antisocial, awkward introvert. I'm going to try distance myself from my technology. Eventually, I'm going to give it up completely, just like a toddler gives up their binky! No, now that IS a bold-faced lie. I think it's impossible to completely give up technology in the modern, globalized society that we live in. But, I am going to try to talk to that annoying girl from freshman year next time I see her. I am going to try to not check Twitter every five minutes. I'll try to give up listening to Ray LaMontagne in between classes on the bus (although, that's going to be hard). And I'm going to try to leave my iPod and headphones in my bookbag or purse, instead of having it constantly in my ears, while I'm out in public.
But I am probably going to keep avoiding awkward eye contact with the guy at my apartment.
But what resonated with me most was the amount of people that were walking around with iPod's in their ears, totally oblivious to the world around them.
At first, I was (perhaps naively) concerned for their safety. After all, New York City is supposed to be incredibly dangerous right? What if someone came up and tried to mug them? Someone listening to whatever song was popular in 2009 ("Down" by Jay-Z?) wouldn't be able to hear and fend off a mugger. They'd be so easy to sneak up on!
After my silly concern for their safety passed, then I was kind of annoyed. By popping in one's iPod one clearly sends the signal "don't talk to me and don't bother me". These people were being incredibly antisocial and missing out because they were stuck in their own little music world. And, in my opinion, these people were being incredibly rude.
I ranted about this randomly on the trip, driving my friends nuts. And still today if someone asked me what surprised me about New York, my answer would be "the amount of people walking around listening to their iPod's!" But, then I would also have to wryly laugh and add that I'm guilty of doing the very thing that most annoyed me and surprised me about that great city.
A few years after that trip I moved to Athens and started college. And again, a sea of people walking around in their own little world and ignoring people because of the music from their iPod's, greeted me. And again, I had the same exact reaction (Athens isn't New York, but there are definitely still some sketchy areas). Except, I felt like if any thing, things were even worse in Athens and around campus because people would pop their music in and get on the bus and not talk or smile or even acknowledge the person in the seat next to them. And that's heartbreaking (yes, I realize I sound like a sappy old lady).
I'm a little ashamed to admit that I succumbed to the social pressures of my peers. I had been living here maybe two months before one day while I was walking around, I decided to pop my iPod in. And it's been downhill from there. Sure, at first I felt really on edge and like someone was going to rape me because my guard was down, but then I realized why people do it: it's kind of a de-stressor to be able to chill out to the dulcet tones of Missy Higgins or Ray LaMontagne in between classes, ignore that annoying person from your hall freshman year that you don't want to talk to, avoid an awkward eye-contact moment with the guy that lives across from you that you're crushing on, and of course, it's nice to be able to quench the curiosity of what's going on on Twitter or Facebook.
Basically, since that day, thanks to technology, I've kind of become an antisocial introvert when I'm out in public.
Technology is great. It really is. Without technology, can you imagine how different our world would be? With the advent of the internet and social networks like Facebook and programs like Skype and even FaceTime (thanks Apple!), I'm able to keep in touch with friends and family in different parts of the country and even on the other side of the world. And that's pretty neat.
A side note: my dad is just discovering Skype and FaceTime and has within the last six months become obsessed. Another great thing about technology: it's responsible for giving me many laughs (and frustrations) in the last six months as my parents try and learn the ins and outs of FaceTime.
Anyways, as I was saying, iPods, Skype, Facebook (although I prefer Twitter personally at the moment) and oh! blogs of course, are great. But because of them, wouldn't you agree that while our generation is becoming amazing techies, our generation is also becoming increasingly antisocial. But only when faced with real-life situations, you know?
What I mean is that we've becoming social networking nuts. I know that I am guilty of being in the same room with my friends and tweeting at them or texting them instead of just talking to them. Now, I could play this off and say I'm tweeting because it's fun (because it IS!) or I don't want to be disruptive while we're watching The Bachelor, but that would be a lie. Or, at least it would be half a lie--being disruptive while The Bachelor is on is a capital crime. But really, sometimes I'll tweet or text because I have something to say that I'm afraid to say out loud. Or something like that. And that's kind of scary, how technology is simultaneously making us antisocial and emboldening us. Like, whoa.
So, now that I've ranted, I don't really know how to wrap this all up (this always happens to me, fun fact). But I guess I'll end with saying that having written this and remembered how alarmed and weird I felt in New York and when I first moved to Athens, I'm going to try to make a conscious effort to not be that antisocial, awkward introvert. I'm going to try distance myself from my technology. Eventually, I'm going to give it up completely, just like a toddler gives up their binky! No, now that IS a bold-faced lie. I think it's impossible to completely give up technology in the modern, globalized society that we live in. But, I am going to try to talk to that annoying girl from freshman year next time I see her. I am going to try to not check Twitter every five minutes. I'll try to give up listening to Ray LaMontagne in between classes on the bus (although, that's going to be hard). And I'm going to try to leave my iPod and headphones in my bookbag or purse, instead of having it constantly in my ears, while I'm out in public.
But I am probably going to keep avoiding awkward eye contact with the guy at my apartment.
My roommates being introverts with their iPhones and other Apple products.
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