Sounds of silence
Jan 13
"Turn off the alarm."
"Dude, you're not supposed to talk."
"Oh yeah. Damnit."
That's how my day began - I slipped. I was trying to go the entire day without talking, and it was the first thing I did when I woke up. But, I eventually controlled my natural inclination to talk better. I went to class from 9-10:20 and later 1:30-3. Staying silent was just plain weird, especially for me because I am a talkative, extroverted person. In the morning, it was a fun challenge. I carried around a pen and paper and signed or mouthed words to communicate. I went to lunch with a single friend, which made for interesting "conversation" and silences that would have been awkward if we both didnt know about my "no talking" rule. However, it was my time between classes where not talking really impacted me. Usually, I hang out with hallmates and friends to pass the time. After trying that for a while, I realized it was pointless and retreated to my room, content to watch movies on my laptop. As I left for my second class, my silence was really getting to me. It sucked that I couldn't communicate with others beyond simply handmotions and gestures. While returning from my afternoon class, I realized what a beautiful day it was (65 degrees and sunny), so I decided to round up some people and play football on Hill field. Without talking. But, I managed. However, when we got outside and began to play, my instincts kicked in (I played football along with other sports in high school), and I began to talk, ending my day of silence. I tried to stop talking once I got inside, but I couldn't do it. Oddly, I felt slightly guilty about talking even after I decided to break my silence. My thoughts on the day were mixed. It really was maddenning remaining silent when I wanted to express a though or emotion. On the flip side, I got a kick out of listening to others and the world around me. There are a plethora of sounds that we tend to "overlook" in day to day life, be it the whispering of the wind or the creaking of a door. I guess the biggest thing I learned is that there is often much more going on sonically that I initially thought.
"Turn off the alarm."
"Dude, you're not supposed to talk."
"Oh yeah. Damnit."
That's how my day began - I slipped. I was trying to go the entire day without talking, and it was the first thing I did when I woke up. But, I eventually controlled my natural inclination to talk better. I went to class from 9-10:20 and later 1:30-3. Staying silent was just plain weird, especially for me because I am a talkative, extroverted person. In the morning, it was a fun challenge. I carried around a pen and paper and signed or mouthed words to communicate. I went to lunch with a single friend, which made for interesting "conversation" and silences that would have been awkward if we both didnt know about my "no talking" rule. However, it was my time between classes where not talking really impacted me. Usually, I hang out with hallmates and friends to pass the time. After trying that for a while, I realized it was pointless and retreated to my room, content to watch movies on my laptop. As I left for my second class, my silence was really getting to me. It sucked that I couldn't communicate with others beyond simply handmotions and gestures. While returning from my afternoon class, I realized what a beautiful day it was (65 degrees and sunny), so I decided to round up some people and play football on Hill field. Without talking. But, I managed. However, when we got outside and began to play, my instincts kicked in (I played football along with other sports in high school), and I began to talk, ending my day of silence. I tried to stop talking once I got inside, but I couldn't do it. Oddly, I felt slightly guilty about talking even after I decided to break my silence. My thoughts on the day were mixed. It really was maddenning remaining silent when I wanted to express a though or emotion. On the flip side, I got a kick out of listening to others and the world around me. There are a plethora of sounds that we tend to "overlook" in day to day life, be it the whispering of the wind or the creaking of a door. I guess the biggest thing I learned is that there is often much more going on sonically that I initially thought.
posted by Ravi Mishra at Thursday, January 13, 2005
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