Being a "So-and-so"

Okay, I'll admit it. I do feel like the busiest person in a company. I'm the one who is so laden with stuff that people forget my name.

"Hey uh this who ah please do this for me."
"H-huh? But I have to do-"
"Thanks! Oooh, Candy Crush!"
"Wait wait wait I can't do this! Come back!"

Basically what happens. So now, I think my name might be "This who". Or "So-and-so".


Okay, maybe I'm not in a company.
I'm not even working yet.

I'm a student in a group project. A group project where office politics come into play. The group leader is the boss, the other two are like Managers. One is nice and the other just mimics the boss. And me? I'm the poor admin.

So imagine this scenario. The admin was asked to take a picture. She does, but then the requirement of the submitted picture is a photoshopped object. It doesn't matter what, just photoshop something. But as luck would have it, the admin's photoshop sofware has spoiled. So she contacts someone in another department for the software, but the person isn't sure when she could send it. Suddenly, the boss steps in and asks her why she hasn't sent the picture. The admin explains that her software has spoiled, and the person in the other department has not replied her pertaining the issue of the software. Now here comes the twist.


The boss suddenly tells her that the picture was for a marketing project and he starts scolding her for not doing it on time. Ironic isn't it? A Admin being scolded for a Marketing error. It wasn't like she was in marketing. Anyway, the boss decided to let her have another day to complete it, and asks her for her summary on the place she was supposed to take a picture. But the admin had never received instructions on the summary, and quickly does it so that the boss wouldn't scold her further for not doing her job properly.

The next thing she knew the Manager(The bad one) was accusing her for copy-and-paste work. The boss, being good friends with this manager, decides to back her up and scold the Admin. The summary, as the boss said was too long, and lacked the correct points. And suddenly, the issue of sincerity of wanting to contribute comes up. The Manager, let's call her Manager X, questions her intentions and asks if she even intended for things to work. The admin replies that if she never wanted the project to succeed she wouldn't attempt to help. Manager X then calls the other Manager, call her Manager Y, and asks her to do the work on the admin's behalf. Manager Y is the admin's good friend, and agrees. But the admin does not want her friend to do it on her behalf, and so she edits the work and re-sent it. End Of Story.

Basically that's what happened in my group project. Sad right? I was accused, then I was made to do something not asked to do, and then I realized.

They did nothing.

Ab-so-lute-ly nothing. I have to admit that was the best trick ever. And now, for the real happening.

It all happened on Whatsapp actually. I told you the scenario, and I promise you it was a hundred percent true. What was different was that the boss and Manager X were using such harsh words, and their English was so bad I had no idea if they were scolding me, accusing me or making a statement. Really. And Manager X wasn't even in the conversation, she was basically an extra. I believe the accusation was :

 "Then it just shows that you are not even sincere about this work by this attitude. You don't even wish to contribute is it?"

I don't know if I should laugh at her lousy English or cry because of the accusation.

And this is coming from someone who doesn't even hand in her homework.

Well to her, HARK WHO'S TALKING.

Really, if you want to accuse someone, look at yourself first. Kay I'm done talking to you now.

I was really pissed at it, and believe me, I think they weren't even serious about this work. But thank god for Manager Y. THANK YOU, REALLY THANK YOU. I lied in the scenario, we barely know each other. I'm so damn happy she agreed to help me. She told them not to pressure me any more, even if they didn't listen to me I'm glad she spoke up.

So now I want to ask a few things.

Does this happen often in a group project? Are office politics like this? Is this even reality?

Because if all of this is true, what a sad, sad world we live in.

I want everyone to get along, is that too much to ask?

I just want a normal life.

I just want us all to get along and let the project move smoothly.

That's all I ask.




~ Kyo-chan