The Gendered workplace

The stereotypical gendered place in our society is the workplace. Though it may seem that society has propelled forward from the idea that a woman’s place is at home while a man goes to work, there is still a black and white divide in the professional fields for men and women. In hundreds of businesses, secretaries - usually women - do clerical work in while managers - usually men - work and make decisions behind closed doors.

Do you know the person who usually makes coffee for all the executives and business associates? It’s usually a female intern since apparently men are “too manly” for a job like that.

Do you remember walking into the staff lounge and seeking one of the female employees having lunch with four males?

For a week after that, everyone kept telling tall tales of how she’s disloyal to her husband.

Now, there is not a problem with female achievement. Women have caught up with men in terms of education. In fact, in the United States and a number of other countries, women now actually surpass men in educational achievement. The problem, however, lies in the society’s view. For some reason, in the 21^st century, women still earn 22% less than men, equally as qualified as them, do.

Honestly, I don’t even get it anymore…

Dating Absurd

To get a date on Tinder, OkCupid, Bumble, Shaadi.com (for Indian people), a lonely man has to create his own account in an unromantic search for "true love."
On another computer, a lonely girl holding a tub of chocolate ice cream creates her profile  with a risqué picture of herself, after her recent break-up.
Then the momentous journey of finding you true love begins. Swiping left and right, up and down, until there's been a match with the lengthy 20-word descriptions you write about yourself- that usually aren't true- and a picture which is probably from when you were 20 pounds lighter.

Finally, when a match has been found, the alpha sends the first message to allow the baseless flirting to begin. You begin forcing a relationship by asking for the snapchat of someone you've become attracted to after learning basics like their profession and areas of interest- and poof! there you have true love.

Remember that romantic first date at the local Wendy's as you awkwardly fight over who's gonna pay- honestly "the facsimile of proper [date] behavior" and take gawky steps together to the exquisite wooden booth (Didion 103).
From there, the first meeting begins. You talk about your family and where you grew up and within the first five minutes you've already made a mental note of whether they're worthy to receive a snapchat from you ever again. And after that romantic escapade, you return and continue u to swipe right and left until you find a match again.

- This is the evolution of love stories in this day and age. Connections that used be made by stealing glances in the local coffee shop and shyly asking for some cute guy's number have become completely based on good wifi in order for Tinder to work. Love has simply become finding your right "match": truly dating absurd. Has this generation forgotten how to obtain true love? - 

Homecoming Fiasco

The Land of Opportunity. The Home of the Brave. The Melting Pot. All of these titles have been given to the country I call home. Thought I was born in India, I've lived here almost my entire life and am proud to call the United States my country.
However, my parents, immigrants to this country, view the United States very differently than I do.
They scrutinize the culture and values that are home to this country.

I still remember when I told them about homecoming my freshman year. Though born and brought up  in Cosmopolitan Mumbai, my parents immediately became apprehensive of the the commonplace custom of a guy asking a girl to the dance. They quickly associated having a date with having a boyfriend, so of course, as a Indian girl, I wasn't allowed to participate. Though I did go to homecoming, I wasn't allowed to have a date because apparently that  kind of "stuff" is only for white people *still rolling my eyes at this idea
And trust me, those of my friends who were in fact allowed to have a date, my mom had a "careful inquiry into the personality structure of these people" (Miner 318).

I remember my frustration because who wants to be single at homecoming.... but whatever, I'm over it now. I understand that what they told me is what they probably heard from their parents; they just were not used to this more open culture contrasting with conservative Indian culture.

However, now looking back at it, I wouldn't call my parents conservative or narrow-minded, but just unaccustomed to these American customs. 

Daddy-Daughter Bond

My actions have changed. I don't spend as much time with him anymore. I don't share my concerns and problems with him. Not that my father won't listen or doesn't care, but his working away from home has distanced us. Though he leaves home every week, the hero he is, to support our family and to be the best father he can be, all those countless flights have resulted in a divide in our relationship. "This change" in actions is not one I prefer or are proud of, yet it is one that has become inevitable (Manning 145).  I still remember the first time my mom and I dropped him off at the airport. With our heavy hearts and desolate eyes, we watched him leave our familiar family set-up, as he embarked on a new journey. I remember feeling alone at school events when all my friends were supported by both their parents, while my mom attempted to fill my father's absence and also assert her own presence. I remember the first time he came home; I was the last one to be picked up from school. My mom told me that my dad would come to pick me up, but after much waiting, I was worried he would just never show up. I still remember finally seeing his car and running up to him, as he picked me up and gave me a big hug.... Since then, sad car rides to the airport have turned into casual travels with his driver, the sense of relief upon his return has changed to simple acknowledgement, and his absence has simply become routine. It's not that I don't love him anymore. I truly do love and respect him, but it's just that I am no longer daddy's little princess- I've grown-up. But, I need to renew that special daddy-daughter bond.