Here’s A Reminder That Left-Handed People Can Have The Upper Hand In Life
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Here’s A Reminder That Left-Handed People Can Have The Upper Hand In Life

Being left-handed can be a blessing, and not just a curse.

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Here’s A Reminder That Left-Handed People Can Have The Upper Hand In Life
Jessica Shih

Hand dominance isn't a trait most people think about on a day-to-day basis, let alone consider a defining characteristic.

Unless you're left-handed, that is.

Being left-handed myself, I grew up having to explain to others why I have trouble using scissors to cut through any other material known to mankind besides paper, or why, by the end of each school day, the entire side of my left hand is smudged with pen ink and pencil lead.

Life can be tough for a left-handed person in a right-hand-dominated world, but with the variety of everyday struggles lefties face, they mustn't forget there also exists a number of advantages of being a part of an overlooked minority.

1. Playing certain sports.

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In my experience, being left-handed has given me the advantage of scoring a point or advancing a play-by-play. For instance, I learned to fence with a blade in my left hand; my fellow fencers, meanwhile, fence with their right. After fencing for six years, I've noticed that when they come onto the strip to bout me, they struggle to win the first several points (or even bouts) since most are accustomed to fencing a fellow right-handed person. For them, all their bladework must be vigilant in making sure their attacks are in a certain manner from a certain direction, or else they are nearly guaranteed a point scored against them. I'm also able to score easy points simply off of their general confusion over how to proceed bouting a leftie fencer.

2. Learning to be ambidextrous—in certain areas of life, at least.

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Unfortunately, I haven't yet mastered being ambidextrous in the traditional sense by being able to write with both hands, but throughout my life, I've had adapt to situations that are custom only to righties. For example, the computer mouses at school would always be on the right side of the monitor. Thus, I learned how to use the computer with my right hand, and have perfected my control over the cursor. I only realized how concentrated this particular skill was in my non-dominant hand after several times' worth of amusing the idea to use the mouse with my other hand, and each time finding it surprisingly difficult to navigate the cursor.

3. Making for good conversation.

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Your left hand dominance automatically makes you stand out from the crowd of righties. I'm not saying you should introduce yourself by noting that you're left-handed; rather, if that fact does ever arise in conversation, remember that it's effective in prompting further discussion with that person. Right-handers are curious to hear about your experience being left-handed. Oftentimes, they'd launch into a series of questions ("My uncle's son's best friend's brother's teacher is left-handed too, do you know her?"), and while you may not hold all the answers, you most certainly hold knowledge on the universal issues lefties face, and can understand that person's uncle's son's best friend's brother's teacher's anguish. In this manner, that other person can gain further insight into life as a leftie...and perhaps you'd learn a bit more about life as a rightie, in turn.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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