Context/setting
November 21, 2016
9:50AM
Kamloops B.C
Thompson Rivers University Campus
“Coffee Shop”
Smells
– Food (Sweets, baking bread, coffee)
Sounds
-People talking
-Laughing
-Orders being taken
-Feet dragging
-Beeping from machines
Feel
-Heat
-Nervous (Mentally feel)
See
-Lights (Well lit room)
-Energetic people
-Smiles
The players
Subject A – “Cute girl”
Subject B – “Hipster”
Subject C – “Hard worker”
Subject D – “Coffee girl”
“Cute Girl” (A)
Subject A is dressed very professionally. She is very attractive and is in line to get a coffee. She is smiling while looking at her phone. She makes multiple facial expressions while messaging someone on her phone. Could very well be a boyfriend or friend. I don’t think she realizes she is making the faces. She notices me across the room. As she proceeds to wait in line, she continues to look at her phone, then back at me. I wasn’t sure if she was interested in me, or just wondering why I’m staring at her then writing in my notepad. This is approximately every 6 seconds. (Line still hasn’t moved.) While on her phone and looking at me, she sways her body left to right. At the same time, her left foot is always on its heel and positioned at an angle. She also seems to have a fixation with her purse, Fixing the strap on it every 5 minutes. She has made her order by this time. The food is taking a long time. She remains in the same stance while waiting. Instead of looking at me now, she continuously looks at her phone, and now the workers. Even though her order hasn’t been called, she still anticipates her order to be called. Eventually, she receives her order and slowly walks up the stairs looking at her phone.
“Hipster” (B)
Subject B is dressed as his name suggests, “hipster” like. Wearing tight rolled up jeans a flannel shirt, and beanie. He’s is standing looking out the window with a coffee in his hand. He walks up and down the hallway at a slow pace, kicking his feet while he does it. He seems to not be in a rush to do anything. He is very relaxed as he is in a vulnerable state. His hands are constricted with his left one in his pocket with the coffee in the other hand. He talked to someone in the hallway about class work. Specifically class evaluation. This is probably because he’s a professor. I say this because he looks about the age of an average professor. After speaking with the person, he continues to walk the same way as before. He is looking at anything everywhere now: staring at the employees, people, looking out the windows, and even an AED station. He leans on the counter, looking out the window people watching. I’m not sure if he’s thinking about anything, or if he is just taking in what’s going on around him. Whatever it is, he is deeply into it. He has been staring out the window for a total of seven minutes now. He stays in the same position of his elbows on the table, one hand on his chin, one hand gripping the coffee, sipping it slowly. He is now tapping his fingers which I assume means he is thinking now. Perhaps about the class evaluation? Maybe thinking about what he could have done better?
“Hard Worker” (C)
Subject C is working. This is obvious as she has her uniform on. The facial expressions she has are telling me she is unhappy. She smiles to the customers, but I believe that is only because she has no choice. While there are no customers, she tends to stare off into the distance. I think she is trying to make the time go by faster as she doesn’t want to be at work. She took an order but must have messed up, because the customer returned. Her face went flush, took the coffee back and was frantically trying to make a new one. She obviously felt bad this happened. She gave her the coffee and the customer left. Subject C then rubbed her head as if it was to rub the stress away as she took a deep exhale.
“Coffee Girl” (D)
Subject D is very extrovert. That the first notable thing about them. They’re out going, talkative, and confident. They have lots of friends or acquaintances you could call them. She knew everyone around. She had many conversations with different people in the short period of 20 minutes she was there. She also is into sports noting the fact she had a coaching staff bag. She received her order and it was very large. She was carrying 3 cups. Most likely all different as there was a teabag in one. She was then on the phone with someone while she was balancing 3 cups a cell phone, a purse, and bag. She was very well organized, from how she dressed to her mannerisms. She would stand and sit around the place, looking around while she did so, looking for people she’s was meeting. She easily walked around the coffee shop 4 or 5 times. She also had a big fixation with her hair. She played with it a lot. She eventually met up with two others and headed up stairs with them.
During this assignment, I learned a lot through the observations. No matter who you are, introvert or extrovert, everyone has their heads glued to their phone. Some people socialize but still use their devices. I also learned that not enough people stop to take in what going on around them like Subject B did. Sometimes it’s good to stop, look around, and forget about your worries and stressors for a minute or two. This assignment was a great learning experience
