Prompt: Reflect and comment on your stranger encounter. How did it differ from your online interactions?
As a person who works part-time at a retail store and someone who uses social media, I have had many encounters where I would interact with strangers. However, interacting with strangers online and interacting with strangers in person are two completely different experiences, which I approach differently.
With online interactions, I make sure to write out multiple versions of what I would like to communicate. There is a lot of thought that goes into a simple question or comment, as I don’t want to cause any confusion and try to communicate my thoughts as efficiently as possible.
Whereas with my in-person interactions, everything is happening in real-time, there is no time to think of the best response, this can cause confusion when communicating but I think that is what makes each interaction authentic and fun. It’s not a ‘one-and-done’ type of situation where once I’ve received the info I am looking for I leave. But rather I continue the conversation, allowing the stranger to steer it in any direction they would like.