As a child, who didn’t love dreaming about how you would decorate your cubicle?!
Obviously this is a rhetorical question because we all know that fantasizing about the cubicle life is just one facet of an American childhood. It coincides with a firm grip on reality, never skewed by disillusionment from movies, television, or maybe the advice from our parents to shoot for the stars, try our best, and become whatever we wanted to be in life. This way of thinking did not include sarcasm however.
So cubicles. They’re neat. Just like I dreamed of a simple mermaid-style, white satin wedding dress with capped sleeves, I dreamt of a cubicle with photos, a rubber band ball, a small plant, a page-a-day calendar, some type of small toy, and Ooo Ooo…maybe one of those things with the pins or nails where you put your hand and face in it and it captures the impression! (For those who might think I don’t know what I’m talking about, I googled it and it’s called Pin Art.)
When I moved into my first, very own cube I decorated it in this fashion, minus a few items from the previously mentioned list but definitely with objects that gave it character. There was a cutesy calendar, Russian Nesting Dolls, photos from old friends that yea, maybe I haven’t talked to them in a while and college was three years ago but whatevs, and a pencil with a wacky eraser. I also adorned the walls with heart stickers and colorful push pins. It was just like your typical 12 year-old school locker. Throughout the eight months I worked for the company, I collected stress balls, keychains, and any other refugee from a co-workers desk. I wouldn’t say my cube was clutterred though. It was meticulously organized and very tasteful, not classy.
I care about the appearance of my cubicle not only because I spend the majority of my day within the three walls but because it reveals a lot about a person’s character. For example, at my old job, my colorful taste in desk items contributed the spunky outgoing persona I had with my coworkers. Although they might have thought I was a bit crazy, I think my cube stood apart from the rest and gave them some amusement.
However, now…at my new job, the only persona I’m showing off is a big :(.
I blame this on the cube. I have a friendly demeanor at work and even today one woman called me sassy (which is quite typical these days because I wear baby doll dresses and I have bangs) BUT my cube is not doing me any favors. Although I blame my lack of pictures on the digital era we live in and my inability to buy a photo printer, my lack of pictures makes me seem like I have zero friends or family….just a loner that comes to work, goes home and eats tv dinners while watching Wipeout or something like that. I also have no novelty items. I can’t even afford to feed myself these days let alone buy one of those vases that are filled with colorful sand! All that is on my desk is a water bottle, a pencil, 2 pens, a quarter stack of post-its, and a roll of toilet paper. I mean, I am sick but a roll of toilet paper?! yiiiiiiiikes….One day I showed up and there was a tape dispenser that was mysteriously placed on my desk. Maybe someone felt bad for me?
All I know is I need to do something fast besides spreading all the items I have in my purse out on my desk to hide the bareness. I mean, there’s something to be said about minimalism but there’s also something to be said about having a personality, even if it’s all a facade and I do retreat to my bedroom to watch Wipeout (I swear I don’t but I do watch So You Think You Can Dance sometimes.)
