What? Something Interesting About Myself?

All of my teachers in smaller classes ask us to go around the room and one at a time say our name, where we are from, and something interesting about ourselves.  But what qualifies as interesting?  I have heard the blandest and the most ridiculous answers during the first few days of class.   What are people thinking when they make up their mind about what to say?  Are they thinking of the cutest response so that the boy three rows over remembers them?  Are they just trying to get through class by choosing something simple?  Or are they trying to impress everyone?  We all have absurd things to say about our selves, but most of us don’t say them, or at least tone them down. 

Even though people don’t want to admit it, there is this underlying competition among the class to get the best response.  Some people decide they would rather forfeit than step on the court and play the game, so they give a bland answer like “I like to sleep.”  Well duh, everyone likes to sleep.  Some people try to impress the class and try for the “oohs” and “ahhs.”  So they say they’re related to some apostle or prophet, if you’re playing with Mormons that’s a three point shot, if you’re out in the real world you’re benched.  Others overshoot the “interesting” concept and just disturb the class.  I heard a girl say she has kissed Michael Jackson’s giraffes.  No one really knew what she meant and no one knew anything about these giraffes so she got the polite nod from the class; air-ball.   Other students try to shock everyone.  When it comes to the shock factor, kids usually turn to their joints.  So what if you can dislocate an appendage or pop your joints out of their sockets?!  The only response you get is “DO IT!”  So when you say you have double-jointed shoulders, all you really want to do is stop the class and show everyone how “cool” you are because you were born as a mutated child.  No one really cares nor does anyone really want to see it.   Half court shot and miss.

(To be honest, I do have really gross, messed up thumbs that don’t allow me to give a “thumbs-up”.  So maybe I’m just jealous that everyone else’s joints expand their range of motion and make them seem cool while mine restrain me and I am stuck having to give the “okay” sign instead of the thumbs-up all my life.)