Craigs List and The Importance of Student Life

I’m a fan of CraigsList. Sure, it can be kinda sketchy sometimes– I mean, have you seen some of the things people try to sell there? And have you ever read any of the personal ads? I don’t know why I’m asking—of course you have, and so you know just how sketchy this site can be. But, sketchyness aside, CraigsList has treated me right. I’ve made money selling things there, I’ve bought last-minute supplies… so when I decided to take the next step in my search for an apartment I went to my trusted source.

My lease is up at the end of April. My best friend is living with me in the summer, and neither of us can afford to extend the lease on my current place. Yesterday I posted an ad in the housing section, requesting housing for two ladies in the SMU area for May through August. I was very specific with our requirements, primarily that the apartment must be in the SMU area.

I checked my email this morning and was delighted to find I had four different messages responding to my housing requests. Upon opening them, I read that not one of the offers was for an apartment in the SMU area. I had offers from Mesquite, from Forney, from Carrolton. Now, I may be wrong– after all, I am from out of state– but those are not in the SMU area.

This is important because it made me realize just how much I assume I don’t need to listen. Like those who responded to my ad on CraigsList, I don’t need to read carefully. Often I catch myself zoning out in conversations because I assume I know where it’s going to go, or answering questions prematurely because I assume I know how the question is going to end. I skim chapters in my books; I skim text messages; I multitask when I’m on the phone with my parents. I do things that cause me not to pay attention to the issue at hand, and I assume that I’ll be fine without all the details. But I’m not.

I want to challenge myself to pay attention. I want to challenge myself to pay attention in class, to pay attention when I’m on the phone, to pay attention when my friend tells me about the same boy she’s been obsessing over for three months now. I want to regain my sense of connection with others.

I challenge you to do the same. Stop doing things to pretend like you’re listening: actually listen. Focus as much as you can on the issue at hand, and see where that gets you. Maybe you’ll hear something you weren’t expecting.