Okay, so I know that I really should be doing homework right now (I really was a minute ago) but I really need to stop for a minute and write this down because it won't get out of my head.
I haven't been back at Hamline for very long (although it feels like it's been two weeks already) and I am trying something new. I am trying to meet a new person everyday/talk to someone that I have not talked to before. The first time I did it, it worked out wonderfully. I met a girl in my Sociology class due to the fact that I complimented her on her outfit. We kept talking before we had to go into the classroom, and then when we entered, I picked a seat and she asked if she could sit next to me, and we kept on talking. I found out she is from NY and is a first year student. We swapped stories about being a first year; I told her that I came here with another girl from my high school and made the mistake of following her around and not meeting people outside of the group we hung out with; she responded by saying that it was interesting for her because she doesn't know anyone, and that a lot of other people came here in pairs/already have groups and she is still trying to meet people.
This morning, I decided to ask her via facebook if she wanted to get breakfast. She never responded, and I saw her as I was leaving and said hello again and told her I had sent her a message. She said that she hadn't seen it; I said it was fine and that I'd see her later.
And then about 45 or so minutes ago, I went downstairs to do laundry and saw a guy who sat next to me in my religion class from last year, and I thought to myself, 'Okay, yes you thought he was intimidating since he is so freaking tall, but he probably thinks you are stuck up since you never smiled at all, which makes you look kinda pouty and arrogant. Just say 'You were in my religion class last year, right?' " So I did. And I learned his name, that he is going for an accounting major, that he lives in MN, goes to a Methodist church (because I said "I go to church because I like the people" "Where do you go?" "Fairmount Ave. United Methodist"), and that his roommate is in the same theatre troupe as me (glad I wore that shirt). He asked me if I was going for a religion major and I said yes I thought so, and then we asked each other if we believed in God. He said yes, and I said 'OK, how do you describe 'God'? What is God to you?" I can't remember the entirety of his answer to that, but he started by saying something like 'Oh, tough question.' I left after putting my clothes in the washer, and when I came back he was there again, and then he started talking to me, and we talked about having bad roommates, and what dorms we were in last year, what year we were here, etc.
It is amazing to me how much people judge one another. I know that I totally judged the guy from my religion class to be stuck up and arrogant and a total introvert, but he probably thought the same thing about me because we both were probably too nervous to speak to one another. And I totally thought that he was older than me, but he isn't. I am really learning that (most) people aren't as intimidating and scary as we think they are when we first meet them. It is a bit of a challenge for me to take an extra step and talk to someone I don't know. Whenever I try, I realize that I expect people to give one word answers and then go back to their business. For example, I expected the conversation I had with the guy from my religion class to go like this:
Me: You were in my religion class from last year, right?
Other guy: Yep.
Me: What's your name again?
Other guy: ______.
Me: OK, cool.
(silence)
Me: ..........
But so far it hasn't, because the people I have talked to seem to like the fact that I have made an effort to talk to them. It is just super interesting to me, and I wanted to share it.
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