So, I have to mention here and now that I’ve always considered myself a people-watcher. I LOVE observing people. Maybe that’s why I love my cultural anthropology class so much…….do I sense a course major change in my future?

The point of this blog is to say that while I do love people-watching, I also feel like blatantly staring at people is extremely rude. Unless of course you’re zoning out and happen to be doing so in someone’s general direction, which I myself have been known to do when I’m stressed out or tired. How embarrassing when that person catches you eh?

Well, attending UT I’ve been doing my fair share of people “observing” and what I see in terms of “judge-y” eyes glaring at other people constantly, is overwhelming. This usually happens with girls of course. It’s kind of funny to think about how I can be watching and judging someone for watching and judging someone, but that’s basically what’s happening. At least twice a week on campus, I see an innocent sole walk by in a goofy outfit, or stroll away behaving in some “abnormal” fashion, minding their own business. Immediately after, I witness someone giving them the “twice over” and making a “stank” face. I wonder what their thinking. Who do they think they are exactly? Do they really feel like they have a right to be all “judge-y” with those high school grade binoculars they can’t seem to put down? But then again, do I have the right to judge them for judging? Probably not. What a conundrum!

I have also grown accustomed to these “little girls” staring at ME. After all, I am at least ten years older than them, I don’t text while I walk and this time last year I was the most pregnant girl on campus that I could find. I can’t exactly catch them being “judge-y”, because looking their direction and giving them a “look” would only make me feel as though I’d given them some sort of imaginary power over me. God forbid I let them know they’re getting to me right? Nope, I simply catch them out of the corner of my eye and wonder how long they will stare at me before looking off at something else. Are they staring at me at all or am I just paranoid? Maybe they’re looking at something behind me….. or to the right of my left ear or something?

So, I have a little test I like to do now. Feel free to try it. I like to call it, “Monkey See Monkey Do”, knowing of course full well that I didn’t come up with that phrase, but I feel like it fits. All too often, when I feel someone’s “Eyes of Texas Upon Me”, I do something small, like lay my finger on my mouth, or place my elbow up on my desk while resting my chin on my fist, or I’ll rub the back of my neck with both hands for an extended period of time. Anything works really.

9 times out of 10…. moments later, sure enough, that glaring individual is completing a movement or action SHOCKINGLY similar to what I’m doing….. if not the exact same thing! That’s when I know for sure they’ve been glaring at me, or at least they looked long enough to pick up on my subliminal message and copycat my actions.

Seriously try it sometime, you might blow your own mind!

I have to wonder why this happens. I vaguely remember learning about something like this in Psych a few HUNDRED years ago, but I’ve slept since then….

I am curious though, if this concept is playing off of some basic human need we have to follow the flock. What about those who don’t subconsciously copy someone else’s movements? Does that say something unique about a person?

Or hey, maybe it’s all just a ridiculous coincidence. Who really knows…….But I promise you, it’s still fun to try!