SCA – 1, Social Life – 0
You know that one friend in the group who had kids earlier than everyone else, and suddenly can’t talk about anything non-nappy/nursery/nurture-related? That’s me. Except, instead of kids (a fairly relatable topic – most people were once kids themselves), I won’t shut up about ad school. And, just like a new parent, I assume other people are just as interested in my runty brain babies as I am.
Not everyone cares about ads. In fact, most people find them annoying – that’s why ad blockers exist. In theory, I know this. In practice, I’ll talk the ear off any poor soul I meet, whomping them over the head with words like ‘Adobe’ and ‘Strapline’ and ‘Execution’. Then, when they’re on the floor bleeding, I’ll chuck in a few well-timed ‘SMP’s to finish the job.
In short, SCA has ruined my social life. Just six weeks ago, I was a ‘fun’ person to be around. This Tuesday, on the other hand, I was working on a brief: find a core truth about Connect 4, and demonstrate it in your executions. That night, I found myself at the pub with a bunch of old friends I hadn’t seen for a while. The perfect opportunity for a wholesome catch up? Not for this bloodhound. Mind still churning after hours, I decided to continue the hunt for truth, squeezing a thought on Connect 4 from every person at the table. I even managed to corner the barman for an opinion.
Later that night, lying in bed, buzzed from a couple of beers, I messaged my latest Hinge match the inevitable, irresistible question:
“Ever played Connect 4?”
SCA reminds me of lockdown with my mum – I’m surrounded by people just as weird as I am, and I feel my own oddness steadily calcifying by the day. We’ve already developed our own strange language and way of interacting, from stupid in-jokes to mind-numbing adspeak. Physically, I leave Pop Brixton everyday, but my mind stays firmly inside the shipping container madhouse.
It’s only been six weeks. Who knows how many friends I’ll lose before July?