I’ve become more anti-social lately, and no, it’s not because I’ve developed a weird habit or am listening to too much loud punk music or even that I have too much work. (Though, I kind of do have a lot of work…) Rather, it’s because I no longer have a laptop.
This sounds almost contradictory. If I’m no longer glued to a Facebook screen, shouldn’t I be spending more time with my friends? However, seeing as most of my homework is computer-based, it turns out that instead of working happily on my laptop in my room—where my friends can easily find me and interrupt, or where I can easily take a break and talk with someone—I’m stuck practically living in the computer lab.
I hate my dorm’s computer lab.
It’s this itty-bitty room in the corner of my dorm in which everything is various shades of gray: gray walls, gray carpet, gray printer, gray computers, gray view out the window with this uncharacteristically horrible weather. However, I didn’t even mind it that much until the two computers (same brand as my laptop, I’d like to point out) stopped functioning up to par. Suddenly, I could no longer save anything, and the anti-virus software would start flashing messages at me every five minutes, and it’d take ten minutes to turn on.
My next option was the larger campus computer lab, which is located on the other side of campus and is also exclusively gray inside. That’s where I’m typing this blog post from. This computer lab is nicer, because the computers actually work and it’s not as itty-bitty so I don’t feel claustrophobic. However, it’s a (relative) trek across campus so I am even farther away from anything that is more human than machine.
Campus computer labs also have the worst atmosphere ever. The Boyfriend laughed when I first said that I didn’t like the computer lab because of the poor atmosphere (read: gray, sterile), which was probably for the same reasons he laughs when I say I like coffee shops because of the atmosphere.
I thought not having a laptop wouldn’t be a big deal. I have to write in the computer lab—so what? Right now, however, my number-one priority is finishing up a second “novel” draft for my creative writing class, and nothing is worse to me than having to write this story in this gray, sterile, bland room. It’s worst when I’m awake at one AM and want to write but know I’d have to trek across campus to do so, which is A. sketchy and B. not fun. Also, considering how I lost a lot of music when my laptop crashed including the Pixies, I no longer have an appropriate soundtrack to write to. It’s kind of sad that my generation depends on computers this much. Take away the kid’s laptop, and they don’t know what to do with themselves, right?
For these reasons, I decided that I need to actually find the motivation again to fix my laptop for the third or fourth time in less than three years. However, first I need to lock myself into this room and churn out that manuscript.
