By Foster Nicholas | Sports Editor
When we were kids, the words “bud” and “buddy” were terms of endearment. But as a college student, those terms feel demeaning, rude and belittling.
Now, let me get this part clear first. I have never — and will never — have an issue when friends, family or people I know well say “bud” or “buddy.” Instead, I’m considering being called those names when going into interviews and trying to cement yourself as a professional.
At some point in each of our pursuits of professional experiences, whether it be an interview, tabling or meeting someone new in a position we see ourselves filling in the future, the greeting doesn’t feel good. In my experience as a sports writer, play-by-play broadcaster and editor, there is no worse feeling than meeting someone who has been doing the job for a while and having them call me “bud.” In many ways, the energy behind it suggests that I am not as important or “good” as them.
I’ve read their content or listened to their broadcasting, which is more than they can say, and that big-dawg attitude is probably off base. Yes, I’m younger than you, but that has nothing to do with the quality of my work and me as a person.
This is an overarching issue in the job industry at the moment, not just journalism. When an employer or person in a position of power leads with “bud” during an interview or even a normal conversation, it just feels “icky.” As college students working our tails off to get to the place where we can be seen as equals or qualified enough, the constant idea that we aren’t is frustrating. I’m an experienced, hard-working guy — not your preteen son.
If we look strictly at the definition when referring to someone as “bud,” a bud is “an immature or undeveloped person or thing.“
For every “bud” in the world, here are a few alternatives: chief, boss, homie, my guy or dude. Instead of a colleague or boss saying, “Great job, buddy,” it could sound less condescending with any of the words mentioned earlier that don’t use my age as a bad thing.
Sure, it’s a goofy, nitpicky and rather unimportant thing considering everything going on in the world. But as students who are ready to take a leap of faith into the professional world, please don’t call us “bud.” I’m in no way less qualified than someone else, strictly based on my age.
