Lately, I’ve noticed how isolating it can be when your work revolves around creatures most people would rather avoid. Between spider check-ups and tinkering with robotic prosthetics for injured arthropods, my social interactions have gotten… let’s say, niche. I’d love to hear from others who’ve dealt with similar gaps how do you keep conversations flowing when your daily life feels worlds apart from everyone else’s?
On top of that, volunteering has shown me how important social skills are, especially when working with nervous pet owners or coordinating with other specialists. But sometimes, it feels like the more I hyper-focus on fixing tiny legs or optimizing exoskeleton designs, the harder it gets to relate to “normal” small talk. Any tips for bridging that gap without coming off like a walking encyclopedia on spider anatomy?
Bonus question: For those in tech or biomedical fields, how do you balance deep-diving into your passions while still staying approachable? Or is it better to just own the weirdness?