ON TATTLING

Today is a snow day on campus, our second one this academic year. (I blogged about the last one, once about the snow itself and once about the events that went down that night). Snow days would be great, but I do have to work, as I am (for reasons unknown and likely best unexplored) considered "essential personnel." All of the Resident Directors are considered essential, and we have all been told that we are expected to work when the university is closed for a snow day. We all worked the snow day last semester, so we are ALL AWARE that we should be in our offices.

As you can likely guess from my outstanding use of "ironic foreshadowing" (or foronicdowing, for short), this is not the case. I know I have been in the office all day as required, but I don't think that is the case with other RD's. One posted her facebook status as "video games and laziness," which doesn't sound like typical office work (well, the video games part doesn't...). Another RD answered his (apartment) door in boxers and no shirt, which I hope isn't his standard work outfit.

Herein we find the crux of my dilemma: is it my place to notify my supervisor that this is going on? I think not, but at the same time, it's frustrating to follow the rules and not gain anything by it - I could be home finishing Grand Theft Auto IV, or Braid, or doing something more productive. In addition, my supervisor's supervisor is considered "essential personnel," and she isn't here. And HER supervisor is also deemed essential but not here. So if the leadership doesn't take this seriously, why should anyone? Obviously, we don't care about the contract, right? So my tattling would come off as childish and ill-intentioned, even if my intention is to get myself a comp day sometime in the future. It's a selfish intention, but not ill.

I shouldn't complain. Because no one is around, students don't think to come by, and I've been able to sort of clean my office. Week-old spoons from my cereal breakfasts...blech!