I know I don’t make the best first impression. I rarely do. I don’t think there’s a lot of people that make the best first impressions. And more often than not, first impressions are lasting impressions. But if you’re lucky, you get to know the other person, and somewhere down the road you can joke about what kind of first impression you made.
My friends and I joke about it all the time. I definitely don’t make a really good first impression. I think it’s because I never know what to do with myself. I never know what to say, and I’m the kind of person that likes to get a feel for the people around me before I reveal anything. So that leaves me with leaving a bad impression on lots and lots of folks.
Sometimes I’m okay with that. I try to think, their loss. (Somehow, I don’t think that’s a good idea). I’ve tried to change the way I meet people, but more often than not, it’s not that easy!
One of the main reasons why I know I don’t make a good first impression (especially when it comes to hearing people) is because I never reveal that I’m deaf. So if they’re talking to me (when I don’t realize they’re talking to me), they automatically assume I’m ignoring them. It’s happened to me more than once.
Here’s a scenario: I was walking to the gym and I had my ipod on (I CAN’T hear anything when I have my ipod playing). So while I was waiting for the walk light to change, there was a guy standing in front of me, and he smiled at me. I smiled back. then I proceeded to change a song on my ipod. Then I looked up, and he was still looking at me. Then he started talking. I’m like Huh? So I flipped on my hearing aids. He said, Oh I’m so sorry, I thought you were ignoring me. I said Oh, no I just didn’t hear you. Then he asked me where the metro was and I pointed him in the right direction. I know that was a bad first impression.
But I also have the same situation with deaf people. They think I’m a snob too!!! It happened a lot when I was at school. They’d walk by me, but I just didn’t see them. Then they’d ask me about it later, I’m like oh really, I must’ve not seen you. Which is true about 80 percent of the time.
Luckily, I’ve been able to make better second impressions.
So don’t always base your opinion on the first impression they make….unless it’s REALLY REALLY a bad first impression. Give them a second chance.
© Copyrighted material. This article cannot be copied, reproduced or redistributed without the express written consent of the author. As with every blog on this website, this blog does not reflect the opinion of DeafDC.com.
4 Comments
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
You’d think DC people would be used to having deaf people around. Are our hearing aids/implants not obvious enough? Haha.
right but I wear my hair down so it’s forgiveable that they’d not realize i’m deaf. after all I don’t look it…. nor should anyone look “deaf,” Right??
I’m hearing but I’m the same way- I often make bad first impressions. I almost dread social situations, for the most part, I seldom know what to do or say exactly. I’m not originally from the area I live in, (I’m different from these folk), and add the fact that these New England folks have exactly ZERO patience for anything/anyone they consider odd or stupid, and it’s pretty much hopeless.
[…] Julie and Erin wrote about perceptions and impressions respectively. Don’t call the office, said Rob, don’t smoke in Calabasas, said Erin, and beware “Deal or No Deal!” said Adam. […]