Office summer vacations

posted July 16th, 2018 at 3:17 PM

Some colleagues overestimate the value of their vacations. I don’t even talk to these people on a daily or weekly basis, yet when they return from vacation, they will use up about an hour in the morning just telling people about it. One person is going to do a presentation on their trip. These people never even ask me how my weekend was, yet I’m supposed to show interest for an hour + listening to them. When I go on vacation, I tell colleagues for about 5 minutes, and that’s if I eat lunch with them. I know you’re bursting at the seams to relive the memories but you haven’t done any emotional work for showing interest in my life, and I’m returning the favour.

3 Comments

Cubicle dweller

Jul 16, 2018 at 4:48pm

A coworker had returned from his three-week trip around Europe. I tried to join in with the others who were listening with great interest to his stories about his once-in-a-lifetime trip, but he wanted me to fuck off.

Lesson learned. From then on, I've minded my own business and avoid expressing interest in other people's vacations if they have never expressed interest in my very existence in the office. Though I can't help but discreetly eavesdrop on their storytelling anyway, if only to get some travel tips for my own upcoming trips.

"They never ask about me"

Jul 16, 2018 at 5:05pm

It looks like you're all a bunch of immature, selfish people forced to work together. They never ask about you but do you ever ask about them? I don't see what they're doing as harmful. You could show a little bit of empathy for your colleagues instead of adding to the coldness. If you want, you could talk about yourself without anyone asking (just like they do), and maybe they'd listen too. It goes both ways.