No amount of warning from those around me could have prepared me for the mind-numbing experience I suffered from when I reported for jury duty. The seven-hour ordeal is one that I am glad to not experience again for the next three years. However, if you have not experienced jury duty yet, there are some things that you should know that no one will tell you about in advance.

1. Bring a pillow or head rest so that you do not look like a half-conscious fool.

One of the funniest moments of the day was seeing one of the jurors asleep. It only got sad when I realized that being unconscious was preferable to sitting there.

2. The room will smell of coffee all day.

Trust me when I say that the room will not be in a short supply of coffee and that the coffee will be strong. What else could keep everyone else awake?

3. Court officials seem to think that jurors are interested in watching every possible game show.
In the seven hours that I was in the jurors' waiting room, “Let’s Make A Deal,” “Jeopardy,” Family Feud” and “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” were all shown. It is safe to say that I will be avoiding game shows for the next several years.

4. There’s a good chance that you will bring the average age of jurors down by 30 to 40 years.

And trust me, everyone will notice.

5. No one will be able to understand who is being called to go upstairs to the judge.

Between the speed that the woman rattled off names and the complicated names that she had to pronounce, I'm surprised that anyone knew what was going on that day. I certainly did not.

6. You will be reminded at least a dozen times that the court officials are aware of the fact that your time spent waiting is inconvenient.
By the end of the experience, hearing that reminder will be more painful than actually sitting there all day.