Normal gossip

Two weekends ago, three friends and I woke up at the godforsaken hour of 5 o’clock in the morning to take the long drive to Atlanta, Georgia for the CFP national championship game. While I was hesitant about this plan as I did not cop a ticket, I still found myself successfully talked into embarking on the 10-hour excursion down south because “it’s a once in a lifetime experience.” Nonetheless, I caved and when the strangers I befriended at the bar judged me slightly for my decision, saying that “watching the game at a bar in Atlanta is the exact same as watching it at a bar in South Bend,” I proudly stood by my slightly crazy actions and felt no regret towards them, nor the amount of money I spent on tacos.

Atlanta was all fun and games, but I have to admit my favorite part of the entire trip was the car ride there and back, more specifically the boatload of conversations spanning every topic imaginable that were squished between the impromptu pit stop at Bucc-ee’s in Kentucky and jam sessions to house music that helped keep whoever was driving wide awake.

I remember, at one point very early on in the trip, playing an episode of a podcast I really enjoy titled “Normal Gossip.” It’s a show where host Kelsey McKinney invites a guest of her choosing to yap and hash out anonymously submitted gossip by listeners. For an hour straight, we listened and were enamored by the happenings being told as if they were in the car with us and proceeded to tell the stories we think are juicy enough for strangers to tune into. 

I have never been against the activity that is gossiping, although the term itself has a bad rap. Maybe that’s because I’m not afraid to admit my love for minding other people’s business, but don’t let this lead you to believe I’m actively dishing out your dirty laundry to other people, because I’m not. 

This viewpoint of mine stands true in times such as the long car ride I shared with my friends, but in other moments, too. Gabbing with others over dinner and drinks or in the living room after a night out is a tale as old as time. Gossip is embedded in the books we read, the music we listen to and the stories we tell, I mean even this very newspaper you have in your hands contains loads of information regarding people you’ve never met. Whether you notice it or not, the details of other people’s lives are a necessity to many.

Now sure, I get why the term gossip is deemed a double edged sword, and this column is not to bribe you into believing all gossip is good gossip, because God knows if I found out people were talking about me behind my back in a negative light, I would not be happy. I am here to say that the excitement that follows someone saying “you’ll never guess what happened” is a feeling not much else can match and isn’t at all a bad thing.

Your mother might’ve told you to never gossip, but let me be the one to tell you otherwise. Grab some drinks with your closest friends and overanalyze last night’s wrongdoings and plan out tomorrow’s devious schemes. I'll try not to eavesdrop.