Introductions

  Introductions have always been an odd experience. The intention is to make an impression, the expectation is, typically, to make that impression a good one, but not necessarily a honest one. Everyone has to introduce themselves, over and over again, until everyone who sought to know you ends up knowing something about you. It's always considered polite and proper to introduce yourself, but why must conversation and meeting new people include it? Why not just start discussion with a topic, not your name? You can claim that it's professional and all, but the best impressions are the unexpected ones. The drunk girl who starts talking to you about ducks is a better impression than someone just approaching you and saying "Hi, my name is X". If we assume that the latter is the 'right' form of introduction, than we will equally assume that everyone is polite and informed of social protocols. Sounds nice, yeah, but such an accepted style ignores what really matters, like your actual personality, your quirks, your genuine self. Instead, everyone is introduced to these manufactured fronts, all uncannily similar and similarly uncanny.

  So how about I introduce myself? If you met me in person, you'd meet a talkative, noisy girl, constantly pulling down the hem of her mini skirt and fidgeting with her jewellry and hair. I confess I do the whole "Hi, I'm X" gig too much, but I've found that I prefer to just go straight into conversation without mentioning my name. Example: my first day at my current university didn't contain a single meeting starting with the name exchange, and I loved it. The compulsory icebreakers were more focused on showing off your personality than how nice you could be to a variety of people, and that was good (the only good thing about icebreakers, if I say so myself). In the end of the day, being initially judged as polite can damage any future judgements the same person makes about you; they see you as the depressed or lethargic person you are, and wonder why you're not as upbeat as you 'used to be'. Doesn't really make sense when you think of it that way, hmm? Another example: I worked at a big pub chain for nearly a year, and in my interview the manager got me to talk casually rather than professionally. And it worked. It seems better to be relaxed and yourself in the long-run than being all shut up and 'normal'.

  Name's Ellie, by the way.