That night, Tasha opened her laptop, feeling a mix of dread and curiosity. She needed to email Liam those social media examples for their Psychology project. She found the files and attached them to a new message.
She paused before typing. What should she write? "Here are the examples"? Too short. "Please find attached the examples for your review, Mr. Perfect"? Too sarcastic.
She settled on something simple:
Subject: Psych Project - Social Media Examples
Hi Liam,
Here are the social media examples for the project. Let me know what you think.
Tasha
She hit send, feeling a little flutter in her stomach. Would he even reply? Or just send a single word?
A few hours later, as Tasha was about to go to bed, her phone buzzed. It was an email notification. From Liam.
Tasha felt a strange mix of annoyance and excitement. She opened the email.
Subject: Re: Psych Project - Social Media Examples
Tasha,
I've reviewed the examples. They're adequate. Good selection for demonstrating the bias.
However, the one regarding the political debate from last year's election cycle needs more context. It comes across as too one-sided without explaining the counter-arguments presented at the time. It dilutes the demonstration of bias if the example itself isn't fully balanced in its setup.
Also, for the celebrity gossip one, you could strengthen the argument by linking it to a specific psychological theory we discussed in lecture – perhaps the self-serving bias, which often goes hand-in-hand with confirmation bias in public perception. It adds more depth.
Overall, decent. Make those adjustments. I'll send my completed research summaries tomorrow night.
Liam
Tasha reread the email. "Adequate." "Decent." Typical Liam. But then she reread the specific points. He hadn't just said "they're bad." He had given real, helpful feedback. And the point about the political debate was true. It was a good idea to add more context. And linking the celebrity one to another theory... that actually made it stronger.
She felt a grudging respect. He was still annoying, still a bit arrogant in his words, but his points were valid. He actually cared about the project, and he was clearly very smart. It wasn't just about showing off; he genuinely wanted the work to be excellent.
Tasha found herself typing a reply, something she hadn't planned to do until the next day.
Subject: Re: Psych Project - Social Media Examples
Thanks, Liam. Good points. I'll make those changes.
Tasha
She sent it. Almost immediately, a reply popped up.
Liam: Good.
That was it. Just "Good." Tasha rolled her eyes, but a small smile touched her lips. He really was impossible. But for the first time, Tasha felt a tiny, unsettling shift. Working with Liam might still be a challenge, but maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be as terrible as she had thought. And his sharp mind, even hidden behind his rude front, was surprisingly... appealing.