I just wanted to say a quick hello to those guys I kind of dated freshman year, that one fair-weather friend who pretends I don't exist and the classmates from my hometown who avoid eye contact with me. I hope you guys are doing well; I know I am. There's nothing quite like getting to see you in the dining hall and on my way to class everyday -- who needs caffeine when these awkward confrontations give that much-needed energy boost?
I know that avoidance is a two-way street. Trust me, it's not like I'm going out of my way to invite you to get coffee and ask you about your life. I am 100 percent at fault here, and I'm hoping it isn't too late to change things. I wonder if our lives would be easier if we just got over ourselves and said hello. Do we really need to pretend we're texting someone every time we walk past each other? If I am texting, I'm probably just frantically asking my mom how to function during these encounters. Or asking her to send me pictures of my cats to calm me down. And you have to know that I don't conveniently need to cough and turn my head when I see you walking toward me. I'm the least subtle person in the world, so I'm sure it's super obvious. All I'm asking for is a truce: I'll smile and wave if you will.
To be honest, there are some people in life who I think it should be ignored: the boyfriend who cheated on you, that friend who randomly abandoned you and maybe even your crazy roommate from freshman year. (Any person who broke your heart or ate your food without asking is someone worth avoiding at all costs.)
But there comes a point when we all just need to get past the awkwardness and act like normal human beings. It's so easy to forget about other people's feelings and just think about what is easiest for ourselves. I don't want to be one of those people.
So you can call this article an olive branch of sorts. It's the best peace offering I could think of. I'm ready to put down the iPhone I use as a metaphorical shield against social situations and put an end to this competition of who can care less. I admit it. I care. I get the wind knocked out of me every time I feel pressured to avoid someone -- it's the worst feeling in the world.
So what do you say? Can we suck it up and acknowledge each other's existence? I know we can do this.
