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Being left-handed has long been seen as unusual in a world where most people are right-handed. Being left-handed is totally natural, yet left-handed people frequently face certain difficulties that their right-handed peers would not even notice. Most desks, spiral notebooks, door handles, and scissors are made with right-handed people in mind. For a leftie, even seemingly simple chores like cutting paper or writing can be difficult, frequently leading to smudged ink or strange hand positions.
Jasmin Bal, who grew up in an Indian household, shared her experience of being left-handed. She said, "Growing up as a leftie in an Indian household can be quite interesting. Most of the time, family members encourage using the right hand for important tasks like writing and eating. For me, this was something I didn’t have to faced a lot as a child. Because of my older sister who is left-handed when she writes, whereas I do almost everything—about 99% of my tasks—with my left hand.”
"Another challenge I encountered was in our computer labs at university. The desks are set up with more space on the right side than on the left, which made it difficult for me to find a comfortable position for writing. I had to place my notebook in a specific way just to write without discomfort," Bal explained.
Cultural traditions can also present challenges. She said, “In Indian temples, it’s common to take prasad with the right hand. I’m more comfortable using my left hand for everything, but there was this one time when I went to a temple and held out my left hand for prasad. The priest gave me a judgmental look and insisted that I use my right hand. I had to explain to him that I’m left-handed and naturally use my left hand for most things."
In school, left-handed students may struggle with seating arrangements or writing instruments. Many classroom desks have a built-in armrest on the right side, leaving left-handed students to contort their bodies uncomfortably just to take notes. This seemingly small inconvenience can lead to feelings of frustration and even impact academic performance.
Umesh M, a student pursuing a post-graduate student in computer science at NYU, recounted his own struggles, "Since most computer mouse are designed for right-handed users, left-handed people often find them uncomfortable. I frequently have to change my writing position to prevent smearing or awkward angles."
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At part time work, Umesh faced additional challenges, "It’s always uncomfortable to work beside right handed person. We left-handed people often have to find or modify tools to suit our needs."
Despite these challenges, Umesh also sees benefits to being left-handed. He said, "Being left-handed has its perks. My unique perspective often leads to creative solutions and innovative thinking. Plus, I’ve become good at using both hands, which makes me more versatile."
Navigating a right-handed world as a leftie comes with its challenges, but as Jasmin and Umesh demonstrate, it also brings unique strengths. Whether it's developing creative problem-solving skills or becoming ambidextrous, left-handed individuals continue to adapt and thrive, proving that their differences are truly something special.
