How Are You?

America is different from other countries in a lot of ways. One of them being the way we greet each other.

I work for Advantage Sales and Marketing once in a while giving out samples of alcohol at Albertsons stores. To get customers attention I say hi or hello and I get a few different reactions. Sometimes people will nod at me, sometimes they'll say hi back, but a lot of times they say, "How are you?" and then just keep walking without really waiting for a response. I always try to answer with something they won't expect like "I'm doing fantastic!" as opposed to the typical, "I'm good. How are you?" and then of course throw in a, "Would you like to try some wine?". 

I find it strange that this has become so common a phenomenon. Why ask someone how they are and then take off without expecting a response? According to eDiplomat.com, in America, when someone asks how you are, this is not a request for information about your well-being; it is simply a pleasantry.They obviously don't care how I am, and yet they ask it. This is not the same in every culture though. In many cultures, if someone was to walk by you and ask how you are and then continue walking without waiting for a response they would be seen as "uncaring", "superficial" or even "rude". In other cultures, when someone inquires as to how you are they actually care and expect a response -  one more so than "good". 

Even though this is a common greeting in America, I've never found myself saying it in this way before. When I do greet people at work I do sometimes ask, "how are you?" but I'm actually hoping to get a response and perhaps further the conversation as I serve them. 

I've been looking on some websites, such as eDiplomat, and looking over their suggestions for doing business with Americans. Apparently we are very informal, like firm handshakes, don't really care how you're doing, like to have our smiles returned, and we're uncomfortable with silence. Huh. 

There's lots of interesting info on that website for many different countries. Other countries actual care how you're doing, haha. Even before I started doing this research I was noticing how strange it was for people to be greeting me with, "how are you?". 

We Americans are so odd... 

The Art Of Parking

Needless to say, parking on campus is a pain. Sometimes you do get lucky and find a spot that is nearby your class, though most times you have to park at least a mile away from you class and, because you were hunting for a closer one, you are now late because you took too long looking and because you have to walk too far. There are a few tricks that I've learned throughout my college career for finding a good parking spot. They aren't 100%, but 9 times out of 10 I won't have to walk very far! Here are some tips and tricks:

1. Roll down your windows and turn off your music! Not every car that is leaving will have their reverse lights on right away. By rolling down your windows and eliminating other noises you will be able to hear a person starting up their car a row away!
2. Arrive when other classes are getting out. Chances are, if you arrive too near to your own class's start time, all of your other classmates will have gotten the prime parking spots. By timing your arrival with the end of the class ahead of yours, you're bound to catch other students leaving campus!
3. Make "just one more round". Listen to your gut! Making that one last round around the parking lot might be your saving grace (or saving feet if you're wearing high heels).
4. Don't go with the crowd. If you're driving behind a long line of cars that are also looking for a place to park, most likely they're going to get the parking spots that are coming out ahead of you. If there is a place to turn, do so, so you aren't following other hunters.
5. Be cooperative. Your fellow hunters are just as desperate as you are. If you come across a parking spot, or someone backing out of one, at the same time as another hunter, work things out considerately. Chances are there might be a spot opening up nearby and you can both get spots if you work together! (Yes, this has happened to me).
6. Keep your cool. I know it can be stressful at times, but you need to keep a clear head on your shoulders. You might get too busy yelling at someone to notice the guy backing out right behind you. (No, this has not happened to me :P). I tend to keep my temper down by talking to myself in a British/Irish accent. This isn't for everyone, but it works for me!

Okay, so there you have it! My top 6 tricks to hunting down a parking spot! I know it can be annoying and stressful at times, but you've got to be tactful about it! Oh, and one more just in case even these tips leave you stressed out:

Arrive early to campus. Park in the first (most likely far off) spot you find and just walk the mile to class. Walking is good for you and gives you lots of time to think!

Good luck everyone! I know the quarter just ended, but some people are going to summer school! Keep these in mind as you hunt for a parking spot!

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

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Having Babies

Yes, having children is something that I desperately want in the future (a long time from now). I'll admit it, when I see someone who is close to my age and pregnant, I get a little jealous.I want that. I can't wait.. but I can wait.

If working at the Picture People taught me anything, it's that I want to wait until I'm ready to have babies before I start having them. Every once in a while we'd have a young couple come in for maternity pictures or newborn pictures and I would have that twinge of jealousy. Then I would see that they're not in a very good place financially and my "baby fever" would magically disappear. It's the couples that have a baby doll stroller instead of an actual one that really catch my eye and make me think, "I want better for my children". I can't wait to have children, but I can wait until I have enough money to be able to get the best for my children.

What brings about this blog post is of course baby fever or a little bit of jealously at least. Three of my younger cousins are pregnant right now and, mind you, I'm only 23. Three sisters- the third one just recently came out. It makes me jealous to know that they're pregnant, that they are experiencing something I want. But then I think about everything else- they're all under 23 years old, they're not married, who knows if they're financially stable or not, and, to my knowledge, none of them were expecting to get pregnant. None of these are circumstances under which I'd want to have a baby.

Am I still jealous? A little bit. Though it also makes me wonder how this happens. Not just to my cousins, but teenagers in general. Why are teen pregnancy rates so high? I've been with my boyfriend for three years now and, knock on wood, I haven't once had a "pregnancy scare". Are people just going at it with a "it could never happen to me" attitude, or is it an education thing? Surely sex ed classes are still offered in high school? Heck, I think they're even offered in middle school! The main thing it comes down to is protection! Protection! Protection! Be smart about it. If you're going to take part in adult activities, then you need to be mature enough to make adult decisions about precaution. "Accidents" do happen, but they're less likely to happen if you use your brain first.

Well, this started out with a little bit of baby fever, and ended with a little bit of rant. What it really comes down to I think is maturity. I would say that, mentally, I'm ready to have a baby; however, I'm mature enough to know that I am in no way ready to have a baby right now.