How do you communicate best? Speaking or writing?
For me, it’s definitely writing. I’m much better at writing a scathing email than I am having a go at somebody face-to-face.
I’m not actually the greatest communicator when it comes to speaking – well, unless I’m teaching a class – but that just comes naturally, so it’s kinda different. Speaking to people in a social setting is generally something that gives me anxiety. Just like Cady Harron in Mean Girls – I’m socially retarded and weird.
I’m the person who doesn’t like to go to parties because there’s going to be strangers there and I have no real interest in talking to people. I find that I really struggle to force conversation with people – I’m not really sure why that is, but I find it really hard. Even if we actually have things in common… maybe I’m just that broken, that I’m no longer capable of conversation.
However, if I were having an online chat with somebody, I would be completely fine. Maybe it’s because there’d be no awkwardness. If the conversation went south or ended abruptly, I could just close my chat window – if I was at a party, yes I’d be able to walk away, but they’d still be there and I’d still be feeling uncomfortable about it.
Sometimes I think that I’m like this because I just haven’t had enough practice with engaging with people in a social aspect, and being taken out of that comfort zone very much – so maybe I really need to force myself to talk to strangers at social events – but just start talking about general things like the event, or the weather, or recent travel, or tv shows like Game of Thrones etc.
I’ve even noticed it with people that I already know – talking to them in person can be quite awkward at times, but talking to them online is great. I’m not sure what the cause is, but I just feel so much more comfortable using words to communicate rather than my voice. Maybe I just need to stop talking completely and only communicate via email / SMS / chat etc.
adorablyobnoxious 