I Am a Cubicle

Today, I am a cubicle. I'm an area in the office where individual employees sit and work. Sometimes I have walls surrounding the whole desk, other times I only have three walls, creating a wide opening for others to peer in.

My current cubicle at work is very out in the open. You can basically see everything that is on my screen, and you can even sense/ see with your very own eyes people turning their heads as they walk by just to see what you're working on. As a coop student, I have some days where there's a bit of down time, and because I have a bit of time, I write in my blog, check my email, read the news etc.

I guess it is normal, since I see many permanent employees on random forums and websites as well, in my opinion, its never a good thing (for a student) to be seen on a random webpage. So sometimes, instead of going on the internet, I do the following:

List of Things To Do When I Have No Work:
1. Read the News
The most legit thing to do and people wont think you're slacking 'that' much. It looks professional compared to going on facebook or what not.

2. Read a Book
I only did this once for like half an hour because it seems kind of random. Taking out a book at work might seem better than a phone, but that just means you're REALLY bored, and I dont want to look like that

3. Check Email
Simple, but doesnt take much time because you can only check so many times and can only get that many emails in that amount of time.

4. Do Origami
I know right? I did do this once because I had nothing to do (at my old workplace as well) and it's funny because my co-worker came by, saw me folding paper, and quickly said to me "I'll give you something to do after lunch!"

5. Study for MCAT
Yeah, I hate this, but studying for MCAT (which mine is coming in September!) or any other subject, kills a lot of time and sometimes makes people think you are studious. The downfall is if you have notes and stuff, people wont really know what you're reading and just think you look funny having an open textbook on your desk that has NOTHING to do with where you work.

6. Get Furious with my Split Ends
For those of you who have luscious hair, split ends are exactly what it sounds like, the ends of your hair is split into two, three, four.....10?!?! (it's possible) I HATE split ends to the MAX and they are sooooooo distracting. I look at my hair (my hair salon-ist? remembers me as 'the girl with really thick dark curly like hair) and BAM, a gazillion split ends and its never ending. Some are so long that you think its two strands of hair and not just one. It is horrible.

7. Walk Around
This is normal I guess, but I dont like leaving my desk because sometimes my supervisor or project leader comes around and gives me random assignments, so its better to stay at my desk.

8. Write in My Blog
Thats what I'm doing now : P

9. Go Into My Department Storage Room and Stare at Nothing
Its like a lounge, but not really because there's pretty much just a window I can look through.

10. Stare.
Thats right, stare at nothing. Duh................

So that's it. When I have nothing to do I try to find something legit, and although some of the things on my list arent that 'work friendly' in the sense that it's obvious I have nothing to do, I still do it. Of course, surfing the internet is another thing, but I also try not to do that too much either :).

If I had a more enclosed cubicle, I think I would do that more often.

Today, I am a cubicle. If you have an office job, you'll see me every weekday.

TeaC101