Cubicles are not so confidential

I was introduced to cubicle-world a few summers ago during my first internship. I picked up on the main rule pretty quickly - remember that even though you can’t see them, there are people sitting a few feet away from you. This includes chewing quietly, using a headset instead of speakerphone, not blasting music, staying away from overly pungent smelling foods, and - what I find to be most important - limiting your personal phone calls. In my relatively short work experience thus far, I have heard my share of personal information from my cubicle neighbors. I could tell you all about the lakehouse of the man I sat near at my first internship, and every annoying and cute story about the children of the woman I sat near last summer.
But this neighbor takes the cake. Currently I am listening to a her have a serious discussion with her father about how she doesn’t like the way he treats her daughter different than her sons, and that it will scar her for life. In the five months we’ve worked next to each other, I’ve also heard about her entire family ancestry, each of her pregnancies, every detail about her son’s football games, and fights with her children over homework - all without one direct conversation between the two of us.

This has probably become my biggest office pet peeve.  I’d be happy to have a conversation with you and learn about your life, but I’d rather not feel like I’m forced to eavesdrop on every detail when I’m trying to get work done!
So all of this to say - here’s some advice for current students: respect the cubicle environment. A quick call here and there is fine and expected. But if you have to have a lengthy or personal conversation, take it from your car.

And if you find yourself next to a chatty neighbor - take notes. Their drama could make up the plot to a potentially interesting story :)

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