My mom always used to say, “Don’t say your bored, people do dumb stuff when they’re bored.” As I have grown up, I have realized how true that statement is.
As a young woman, I was naive to the world around me and expected everyone to be a good person. Graduating high school, learning how to drive, getting a job and experiencing a global pandemic has opened my eyes to seeing how flawed my thinking was.
High school for me was nothing like “High School Musical.” In a period of four years, friendships came and went, social media took its toll on me, and self discovery were things I was not prepared for. Never though, did I feel unsafe.
Not until I drove by myself for the first time did I get my first taste of fear. After putting gas in my car, a man followed me home, where I would be by myself.
Once I realized what was happening, everything my mom told me about being cautious flooded my brain. I made it to a main street where the police department was and eventually lost the man who was following me.
Although he could have had many reasons for following me, it was ultimately boredom that motivated him to cause trouble, and its effect hasn’t left me since.
I now watch any and every car that has followed me for more than two turns. I am cautious when I put my turn signal on in fear of someone following me. I make minimal eye contact with people to ensure I am not welcoming them. I pay more attention every time I am out alone.
COVID-19 has only increased the amount of aggression caused by boredom. These acts have no motive, just harmful results. This reality has made me weary about starting my job at a bowling alley during such a chaotic time.
Having to leave a place full of drunk men and rowdy teenagers at 1 a.m. inspired me to buy a pocket knife. During the day, a bowling alley is a fun place for kids and family events, but once it’s closed, the parking lot is a breeding ground for bored people to harass employees when all they want to do is go home.
At the end of every shift, I clutch my stuff close to my side with my hot pink knife in my dominant hand waiting for a bored person to approach me.
Has it happened yet? No, but the very true possibility of it happening isn’t so unlikely.
Understanding the high possibility of being attacked is the first step in keeping myself safe.
Although some of the boredom in the last year is understandable, many psychologists believe financial stress and a lack of social engagement has contributed to many suicides in 2020 and counting.
On a less understanding note, quarantines, social distancing and unquelled urges, have caused a flurry of violent acts like riots, robberies, domestic abuse and public harassment.
Many of these occurrences are happening because people do not have an outlet for their boredom due to pandemic restrictions. This is not an excuse to do unethical things.
We need to educate our fellow people that there are many other outlets that don’t include putting someone in harm’s way or damage reputations.
We need to establish that being bored does not hold up as a reasonable explanation in court.
Someone else’s boredom should not affect our safety.
