Breakfast Babble is ED’s own little space on the interwebs where we gather to discuss ideas and get pumped up (or not) for the day. We judge things too. Sometimes. Always. Whatever, call it catharsis and join in, people.
Let me just say it out loud: I hate video calls. Not in a dramatic, protest-on-the-streets kind of way, but in a “please don’t make me turn on my camera and pretend to be a fully functioning human being” kind of way.
It starts with the front camera betrayal. The mirror tells me I’m looking decent. The front cam? It says I’m a raccoon who lost its way in 2020 and never recovered. The angle’s weird, the lighting is worse, and suddenly my face has the geometry of a potato left in the sun too long. There’s no filter strong enough to fix the emotional damage.
Then comes the background circus. I try to look professional, or at least like someone who showers regularly, but behind me, chaos unfolds. Mum walks in asking if I’ve eaten. The cat photobombs me. The doorbell rings because someone ordered momos again. It’s not a meeting; it’s a live episode of Keeping Up with the Middle-Class Indians.
Don’t even get me started on Wi-Fi lags. Nothing boosts your self-esteem like hearing your own voice on a delay while your face freezes mid-sneeze. I end up looking like I’m trying to decode alien signals instead of just answering “Yes, I agree with that point.”
Also Read: Breakfast Babble: Why I Find Constant Requests For Video Calls Annoying And Intruding
And the fake engagement, oh dear God. In real life, I can zone out and nod occasionally, a skill I have honed to perfection. On video calls? I am expected to smile, nod, look interested, unmute strategically, and sound like I care deeply about quarterly reports or cousin Neha’s wedding lehenga. It is theatre, an exhausting theatre.
Also, why must I see my own face the whole time? Half the call I am listening, the other half I am wondering why my left eyebrow moves more than my right eyebrow. It is a self-esteem trap disguised as “connecting virtually.”
So if I ever do not pick up your video call, it is not personal. I probably like you. I just like myself a little more when I am not being held hostage by bad lighting, bad Wi-Fi, and existential dread.
Instead, just text me, send memes, or call me without the camera. It will save us both from the trauma.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Blogger’s own opinion
Find the blogger: Katyayani Joshi
This post is tagged under: video call anxiety, introvert problems, work from home struggles, camera off gang, zoom call drama, relatable content, social awkwardness, online meeting woes, digital fatigue, wifi struggles, real life comedy, front camera trauma, millennial humor, gen z struggles, remote work life, virtual meeting chaos
Disclaimer: We do not own the rights or copyrights for any of the images used, as they have been sourced from Google. If the owners request credit or removal, please kindly email us.
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