5 Tips to Discourage Others From Talking to You in a Waiting Room

While I'm still sick I thought it might be fun to republish an old post. Sort of a blogging throwback Thursday. This post was from March 15, 2012. I offer up some tips to discourage strangers from trying to strike up a conversation with me while in a waiting room.

The Waiting Room Game

Waiting rooms come in all shapes and sizes. Some have old magazines. Some have dirty toys for kids to play with. Some have TVs. Some always seem to be over crowded. Some have comfortable seating and others not so much. Some have medical brochures. Some are decorated in a soothing fashion. Some are quite plain and cold. They are ALL overly lit. You get the picture - heck, much like me, you've probably seen more than your fair share of waiting rooms too.

The thing is, no matter how much or how little thought has been put into patient comfort, the most annoying thing about a waiting room are the other people. I don't want to be stared at. I don't want to listen to kids screaming. I don't want to sit anywhere near someone who has a cold or flu. I don't want to listen to some rude person talking loudly on their cell phone. I don't want to smell cigarette smoke wafting off the hair and clothes of others. I don't want to worry about what the crazy person, who is talking to him/herself, will do next. And I certainly don't want to talk to ANYBODY.

I just want to be left alone. Is that too much to ask?

Here are some of the things I try to remember whenever I go to a doctor's office to encourage those around me to leave me alone:

1. Pretend to sleep
2. Pretend to read (I often can't concentrate in a waiting room enough to actually read)
3. Pretend to listen to music (this only works for short times as earphones become painful)
4. Look annoyed and unfriendly
5. Try to never look anyone in the eye

How do you feel about waiting rooms? Do you have any tricks to help you cope with them?