Light Hearted

In today’s fast-paced world, it often feels like every interaction requires scheduling an appointment in advance. From doctor’s offices to government agencies, the preference for set appointment times has become the norm. But as someone who values flexibility and spontaneity, I can’t help but long for the good old days of simple walk-in service.

Take my recent experience at the Michigan Secretary of State office, for example. In the past, renewing my driver’s license and getting an enhanced ID was as easy as waltzing right in, no advance planning required. The office may have been crowded, but at least the work still got done at a decent pace. Well, not anymore. When I showed up this week to take care of my renewal, I was met with a devastating ultimatum: appointments only.

Apparently, the days of just being able to pop in whenever I pleased are long gone. Now I have to book a time slot days in advance, instead of being able to seize the day and get it done on my schedule. As someone who cherishes spontaneity, this feels like a major buzzkill. I had the whole day off work, ready to breeze through my errand – but nope, the receptionist unceremoniously assigned me a Friday appointment, a full four days from now. Thanks for nothing, appointment-only policy.

Of course, there was one silver lining – after some digging, I was able to find an available appointment slot at an office that was a bit further away, about 10 miles from my home rather than the closer one-mile location. Knowing that I didn’t want to wait another four days, I decided to compromise and book the farther appointment just to get it taken care of. Sometimes you have to make those tough choices, I suppose.

The appointment system isn’t unique to government offices, of course. Doctors’ offices have been operating this way for ages, forcing patients to meticulously plan out their care far in advance. And sure, I get the logic – it helps avoid overcrowding and allows providers to better manage their workflow. But, when you’re not feeling well, the last thing you want is to have to wait indefinitely to see a doctor. Whether it’s a worrying new symptom or the need for a routine check-up, delaying that medical attention can lead to unnecessary anxiety and potentially even complications down the line. No, when it comes to your health, you need answers and treatment right away, not days or weeks from now.

Imagine if you had to book an appointment just to spontaneously stop by your favorite local restaurant. The horror! “Sorry, we’re booked solid for the next two weeks – how’s November 27th at 7:45 pm?” No thank you. I’ll take my chances and just show up, even if it means potentially having to wait a bit. At least I have the freedom to make that choice in the moment.

Look, I understand the practical benefits of an appointment-based system. It creates order, minimizes wait times, and helps businesses plan accordingly. But for someone like me who craves flexibility and hates being tied down to a schedule, the whole concept is enough to make me want to – you guessed it – just walk right out.

So the next time you find yourself faced with the dreaded “appointment required” sign, remember: there’s always another option. Throw caution to the wind, embrace your inner rebel, and see if you can’t sweet-talk your way into a same-day visit. After all, the worst they can say is no – and then you can always try again tomorrow. Because in my book, the freedom to just pop in whenever the mood strikes will always trump the rigidity of a pre-booked time slot. Unless, of course, that’s the only way to get the job done in a timely manner. Then I’ll grudgingly make the appointment and try not to pout too much.