being orientated...
I attended an orientation meeting tonight. I don't want to mention any further identifying details, but I do want to rant. Angrily. I hate orientation sessions; I hate hate HATE them with a passionate fury born of boredom plus irritation.
Three things about tonight's meeting frustrated me to no end. One issue, that the meeting took place around dinner time in an odd location, I won't discuss further because I am willing to investigate any possible reasoning for the timing and location decisions. Another issue is the general and ever-annoying STUPIDITY of people, even a group of educated, socially conscious, economically comfortable people. Literally, tonight, a lady asked the SAME EXACT QUESTION barely five minutes after it had been already asked and answered. ARRRGH. I have no idea how the presenter was able to refrain from an angry, sarcastic response -- more patience than I would have had, clearly. Sadly however, there's not much any presenter or organization can do about stupidity.
For one of the other issues, though, I really want there to be a solution. One of the primary things I hate about orientation sessions is the ubiquitous behavior that says, 'OK I will now read to you information from the stack of papers I just handed to you. You know, those papers that I would like you to take home, read, and consult as a reference.' ::beats head against wall:: For goodness' sake. I know this behavior exists because of the aforementioned stupidity -- and apathy or forgetfulness -- of people. But I wish there were a way to prove, to any organization that wants to conduct an orientation, that one really WILL take that stack of papers, read them, comprehend them, and simply ask thoughtful questions about any specific details that are unclear.
How will I survive, without gouging out my eyes with a fork, 50 more years of orientating lurking around any new corner?!
Three things about tonight's meeting frustrated me to no end. One issue, that the meeting took place around dinner time in an odd location, I won't discuss further because I am willing to investigate any possible reasoning for the timing and location decisions. Another issue is the general and ever-annoying STUPIDITY of people, even a group of educated, socially conscious, economically comfortable people. Literally, tonight, a lady asked the SAME EXACT QUESTION barely five minutes after it had been already asked and answered. ARRRGH. I have no idea how the presenter was able to refrain from an angry, sarcastic response -- more patience than I would have had, clearly. Sadly however, there's not much any presenter or organization can do about stupidity.
For one of the other issues, though, I really want there to be a solution. One of the primary things I hate about orientation sessions is the ubiquitous behavior that says, 'OK I will now read to you information from the stack of papers I just handed to you. You know, those papers that I would like you to take home, read, and consult as a reference.' ::beats head against wall:: For goodness' sake. I know this behavior exists because of the aforementioned stupidity -- and apathy or forgetfulness -- of people. But I wish there were a way to prove, to any organization that wants to conduct an orientation, that one really WILL take that stack of papers, read them, comprehend them, and simply ask thoughtful questions about any specific details that are unclear.
How will I survive, without gouging out my eyes with a fork, 50 more years of orientating lurking around any new corner?!