Three things are guaranteed in life: death, taxes, and jury duty.

After, somehow escaping for many years, I finally got called to the courthouse for jury duty this week. (That’s when I started to plan how to go off the grid so they can’t find my name.)

I’m not sure how it is in other states, so my experience is only with the Connecticut court/jury system. You get the summons mailed to you, usually for a few months out, and then you have to RSVP at your earliest convenience, however, you’re not also picking your meal for the occasion. As you count down the days until you’re supposed to go, the night before you call an automated number to see if you still need to go. If your name isn’t called, then your summons is canceled. If your name is called, then you have to show up the next day. (You can also sign up for text alerts, and you’ll get a text if your summons is canceled.)

I’ve gotten the summons four times so far since turning 18, and three of the times it was canceled. My mom specializes in manning the phone and calling repeatedly the night before until they change over the list of names for the next day. That was her task for Tuesday of this week, as my day to report was Wednesday.

I was trying not to think about it in an attempt to not jinx myself. I just absolutely dreaded ever having to go and I guess I had just been too lucky in the past because my mom called me around 4:00 p.m. Tuesday—while I was at work—to tell me that my name was on the automated call. I basically yelled “Noooo!” and my co-worker heard me through the wall and ran over to make sure I was okay.

After dinner that night, I had to pack my lunch and come up with a game plan. Years ago when I got my first few summons, my dad drove down to the courthouse with me so I could see where it was; I didn’t take the test-drive this year but, thankfully, Josh is pretty familiar with the area because of his work, so he sat down with me and Google maps to figure everything out.

I was still really nervous, and I think it was because of two things:

1. It was just a new experience for me, and new experiences spike my anxiety. I spent too much time searching the Connecticut jury website for information as well as scrolling through street view on Google maps. And then I didn’t know where I was going once I was inside, and I didn’t want to look lost or be confused about where I had to go.
2. I just didn’t want to be picked as a juror. It’s too much pressure, and again, another new experience—I didn’t know what to expect.

I had to be at the courthouse at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday morning, so I had to get up around 6:00 a.m. to have enough time to eat breakfast, get changed, and drive down. Still nervous from the night before, I drove on the highway with my hands at 10 and 2 and a pit in my stomach. I didn’t hit as much traffic as I thought, so I got there around 7:40 a.m.—super early—so I parked in a store lot until 8:00ish. I looped back around to the courthouse and saw that other cars were in the designated jury lot.

The lot was right next to the courthouse, so I parked and joined others out in front of the entrance. A few minutes later, a security guard let us in since we were there for jury duty. One by one, we went through the metal detector and were directed to a specific jury elevator. It helped that I was with a group of others, so we just followed each other. That helped me feel less lost, along with the fact that we were the only ones in the courthouse that early.

We went up the elevator to the fourth floor, which is a full floor for jurors. I checked in, got a jury sticker, and an information sheet before sitting down. The large sitting area had what looked like high school auditorium seats, maybe 15 rows of 15 seats. Since I was there early, I got a good seat in the back at the end of a row—mostly for people-watching. A lot of people were on their phones, some had books or laptops, and three people took phone calls, very loudly, shall I add. There might have been around 50 people there? It was hard to estimate, and I’m terrible with numbers.

People trickled in until 8:45 a.m., and orientation started at 9:00. A judge spoke to us before we watched two videos. Then they started calling names. This is when I thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest. But they didn’t call me for either group. I heard the groups getting juror numbers before being taken down to be interviewed by the lawyers. (In Connecticut, I do know that you’re interviewed individually by the lawyers instead of in a group.)

After the groups left, it was 10:15ish, and I figured I might as well start reading. I brought two books with me—one I was close to finishing and another I had started earlier in the week—and I read about 50 pages. But mostly I was too nervous and kept looking around to see what was going on. A few people who had left in those groups came back, and I’m like, okay what does that mean? Are they going to call more people? Why didn’t any class in high school teach me about this process?

I was texting Josh the entire time, telling him what was going on. We watched the show Jury Duty on Amazon, so we were making jokes about it; I said I hadn’t seen James Marsden yet, so there was a chance I wouldn’t be on a hidden camera show.

I had brought a bunch of snacks but didn’t end up eating them. My stomach started growling at 12:30 p.m., so I had a few apple slices to hold me over until we had a break at 1:00 for lunch. Before we were released for lunch, one of the jury folks went up to the front of the room and said the 15 names she was going to read had to come back after lunch; if she didn’t say our name, we were dismissed for the day. Cue rapid heartbeat again, probably fast enough to fritz my Fitbit.

She didn’t call my name.

The woman in the row next to me asked if she said my name; I said no, and the woman said her name was called. I said “I’m sorry” and packed up my stuff to leave.

I texted my mom and Josh that I was “freeeeeeeeeeee” and it was a relief, really. I was glad, though, that the process I did go through was easy, like getting to the courthouse, going through security, and getting up to the jury room. That was one of my worries and now I know for next time.

I believe, through my research, that since I “served” (even though my name wasn’t called), I won’t be called for the next three years. I’m supposed to get an attendance certificate in the mail (like if you need to turn something into work), so hopefully it’ll give more information.

When my mom called me Tuesday and told me I’d have to report, she said “It’ll be a good thing to write about for your blog.” So that’s how this post was created. And I wanted to write about my experience since I could because I wasn’t even picked to be interviewed. I’ll be better prepared for next time if I ever have to go, but can it not be so early in the day?