I'm Sorry, My Facebook Life is More Important Than Your Paper

Once during the first semester of my freshman year, the library was much fuller than usual and I needed to print a paper. All the computers on all three floors were being used and I had completely forgotten or not known about the printers in the computer lab. Although my freshman ignorance was, well, ignorant, I don't believe it warranted the way I was treated.

So there I was with no computer to use and therefore no way to print out my paper. I was starting to get stressed; I had no idea what to do. A few seconds later, I thought, "How about I look around and ask someone who isn't doing work if I can use their computer so I can print my paper?" The idea seemed reasonable enough. After all, I didn't want to interrupt someone who was concentrating on something and I figured that anyone playing a game or browsing the web could spare just a minute of their free time so I could get credit for my homework.

I spotted someone clicking around on Facebook, so I approached her and said, "Excuse me, do you mind if I use the computer for two minutes so I can print out a paper?"

She glared at me and said very shortly, "Um, I'll be off in a minute if that's okay with you."

You need another minute on Facebook for stalking your acquaintance's 20 photo albums? Or updating your status and telling the world about how exceptionally wonderful your boyfriend is?

I was simultaneously embarrassed, flustered, and angry. I did manage to print out my paper because someone else left. Then, I did what any sensible person would do and wrote an angry Live Journal entry all about it. It was also a bit of a let down because I was still under the impression that everyone at a Christian college is nice. I was already nervous about asking to use some stranger's computer, but to have someone be rude and act like they owned that computer wasn't very awesome.

The icing on the cake is that she quickly minimized the window and a document that looked like a paper appeared. Really, trying to make yourself feel better by cutting your procrastination short after being rude to someone who only wanted to print two pages of homework isn't going to earn you brownie points.