Blinded me with science and hit me with technology
An e-mail conversation between two tech students at a random Ivy League grad school.
StudentA: So when should we get together to start our coding project?
StudentB: We could meet after class Monday or before class, or are you going to class Tuesday, how about after that? Or before that?
StudentA: Ummm, any of those are fine.
StudentB: Something’s come up, how about Wednesday, it’s Veterans Day, I’m off from work.
Student A: I’m not at school on Wednesdays I have an online class. I may be in Columbus Circle, do you want to meet there? Or I can come up to school anyway.
StudentB: I’m in the East Village, where in Columbus Circle? 11am is good.
StudentA: That’s fine, or…. how about Skype, do you have Skype?
studentB: I don’t have Skype. If we meet in Columbus Circle, do you have a laptop? Because I don’t.
StudentA: I do but I wasn’t planning on bringing it. So let’s just go up to school.
StudentB: So what time, like noon? I need more time to get all the way up there.
StudentA: Wait, are you going to meet with the TA? I have a 4pm Thursday appointment, we can meet before that but not after because I have class.
StudentB: I’m meeting with him Thursday at 3 so no good.
StudentA: What about the phone? Do you want to just call me? We can type up notes.
StudentB: Great idea! The phone! I never would have thought of that.
Sadly, this conversation is actually shortened from 30 e-mails over three days to come to this conclusion. Just got off the phone; I highly recommend it!
Title of course from:
Thomas Dolby – She Blinded Me With Science
I have to admit that the phone wouldn’t occur to me at first either. I don’t know why, but I don’t like the phone…
30 emails, though. That’s a lot of energy spent on coordinating a meeting.
Can you believe it? Thirty. Sometimes when each question needs a follow-up, the phone is best even just to arrange the thing. Ca-razy.