Drama. There’s always drama. Where ever you go. Why can’t we all just get along? I’m an adaptive person. I can lead or follow, though my instinct is to wait and watch until people’s personalities shine through. Then, I know what the group is missing. For example, if I’m with a group of people that are all quiet and submissive, I’ll lead and talk. I feel better doing that, knowing that I’m not stepping on anyone’s toes by doing so. If someone else has a clear desire to lead, I’m not going to battle it out with them. As long as they don’t make decisions that will harm me or others significantly, I go with it. Likewise, I’m not going to talk over anyone unless it’s necessary. If you are a loud, opinionated person and you want to know what my opinion is, you are going to have to stop talking long enough to let me speak. I’m not going to fight you for airtime. I don’t know if that makes me a good team player or not. Though, I guess it doesn’t matter unless I’m on a team.
It’s a big debate. Looking out for the needs of one or the needs of all. I generally like to stick together and be inclusive, but people are different. Not everyone likes being on a team. My roommate last year would scoff at my naive ideas. She’d use it against me when I got upset about something or someone. She’d say mockingly, “Why can’t we all just get along?”. *sigh I posit that we are all pieces of the beautiful, but complex, puzzle of humanity. We are different in complimentary ways, but sometimes the careless puzzle master insists on shoving two pieces together that simply do not fit. When that happens, pieces bend, break. Damage happens. And at this moment, my little puzzle piece is rammed uncomfortably tight.
I am living with three distinct people. We got an apartment a couple of days ago, as I write this. We’ve signed a one year contract, paid light and water deposits, and are basically stuck with each other for better or worse. Like a bad marriage. I’d like to give you guys a character analysis, but I fear my fellow dietetic interns will read this and call me out on whatever I write. I don’t know how slander laws work! I’m not trying to get sued or, worse yet, get stink faces from my apartment mates. I hate drama. I wish people could just deal with their problems or talk about them with each other calmly. That’s asking a lot. I know.
I can’t even fulfill that! I try to deal with problems first by myself. I don’t know how to deal with not liking someone’s personality though. I mean, what can you say? “Hey, I don’t like who you are as a person, but we live together sooo don’t talk to me”? That’s not going to help anyone. I don’t know. Maybe things will get better. It’s all about perspective, I remind myself. Hopefully later, when this internship is further along (aka no more stress getting papers together and all those initial move in errands) I’ll be more receptive to different personalities.
I lived with the training wheels version of this trying personality for a year and it didn’t get any better. The only thing that helped in that case was the realization that we would be graduating soon and not in each other’s lives nearly as much. Time heals all, right? Well, I hope so. Wish me patience.
My Dragonfly Life 