"You know you can mute your phone, right?"

Keywords: inquiry | empathy

A graph I found relevant to this personal story of mine.

Observation: in class, students tend to take photos of the powerpoint slides when necessary. Instructors don't usually show that they'd have a problem with it. I do that too. There was this one lady friend, however, takes pictures with the shutter clicking sound. 

Hypothesis: I was wondering why she wouldn't mute her phone. Maybe she forgot...or maybe she didn't know she could change the settings? Well. ANNOYING. 

More Observation: I started to pay extra attention to this classmate of mine when she lifted her arm to snap. Still. Shutter. Noise. Sound. 

Validation: I am weird enough to just approach her and ask that question.

Me: "Um, Asuka, you know that you can mute your phone when you take a picture during class right? I am just worried if the professor's gonna think you forgot to do it.  

Asuka: "Oh thanks. Unfortunately I bought this phone from Japan, and the sound cannot be muted at all. For privacy-protecting purposes."

Me:  (internally) Glad that I asked. I think I can be friends with her again... 

P.S.: Here is a Quora discussion on how one might turn off the shutter sound on an iPhone bought in Japan. Turns out it's not quite possible yet?