Week 2: Bug List

1). On campus parking- I have both a scooter and a car, and finding parking for both is horrendous. UF sold about 41,600 decals last fiscal year, yet there are only approximately 19,000 spots available. It is very frustrating and a major waste of time to circle parking lots when you pay for decals. Obviously there are many students and little undeveloped land, but the lack of parking spaces in the convenient locations where students need it most is the real problem. Creating more parking spots and garages would cost money, and I understand we are there to fun academics, but as the school expands its student body, we need to expand our parking areas as well.

2). Smoking in Europe- Since I am currently studying abroad and have only been here for about a week, this is one thing I have not adjusted to. Although it is a major cultural difference, smoking cigarettes is much more common abroad. Americans seem to be more health conscious about it and at least do it in private if they are smokers, but here it is more of a social thing that you can’t walk 10 feet on the street without breathing in another cloud of smoke. It is a cultural norm and often a shared activity with friends, so the health risks are sort of overlooked.

3). When others criticize you for not trying new foods- I am a relatively picky eater, but I enjoy food too much to ruin it by eating exotic things that I don’t find appetizing. For example, I hate all seafood. There are certain types of cuisines where I like to be adventurous, but if I know seafood makes me feel sick and I really dislike the taste, there is no reason to criticize others preferences just because they don’t parallel your own. I think this exists because others want you to enjoy the same sensation they are experiencing, however everyone’s tastes are too different to make this assumption.

4). People who walk slow- I am 6 feet tall and have very long legs, but there is a pace that is expected to keep up with the flow of traffic. When you’re stuck behind someone slow on the sidewalk, it irritates me more than it should. I am usually running about 2 minutes late, so I am possibly more in a hurry than most others, but it is a common courteously to walk at an acceptable pace. This occurs because some people like to take their time and soak in their surroundings, so there is a mismatch in the overall purpose we may see when walking.

5). When people park motorcycles or leave shopping carts in the best parking spots- When you’re driving through a crowded parking lot, you think you see a spot, go to turn and pull in, and there’s actually some smaller object taking up ¼ of the spot. (Bonus point for this one if it’s raining outside and you have to park all the way at the end of the row and walk in the pouring rain). Often people are in a rush or too lazy to return their shopping carts, so they just leave it in the empty space next to them. It is a matter of convenience more than an act of spite.

6). People who talk down to younger people- Just because I’m 20 doesn’t mean I’m stupid. I am by no means saying I am the smartest person in the world, and I definitely still have a lot to learn, but I hate being talked to like a 5 year old. Your tone of voice should not change when talking to me or the 45 year old man behind me. I was depositing a large check into my savings account that was an inheritance from my great-grandmother, and the banker decided it was the perfect time to assert her opinion. She told me that it was irresponsible to give a “child” so much money because I was surely going to blow it, and that I couldn’t have even had a great relationship with her anyway because I was too young to understand. Needless to say, I no longer use that bank. Although her previous experience with young adults may be that they are irresponsible, it is extremely unfair to project that on everyone she meets from then on. All I am asking for is to give people a chance to prove who they really are before making any judgments.

7). Spam email- Opening your inbox to over 100 emails everyday is annoying, especially when the majority of it is junk. They pile up over time and one email list seems to lead to another. Whether it’s a sales promotion or invite for a new dating site, it clutters your inbox. I understand email promotions and viral marketing are good sales tactics for many companies, but so many of them are too overwhelming. It becomes annoying and I delete all of them so they are extremely ineffective on me.

8). When people check out with an obnoxious number of items in the express checkout lane- We all know that these lines are supposed to be 10 items or less, some are 15 depending in the store, and it is often acceptable to squeeze in a couple extra items. However, some people take advantage of these short lines and bring their full shopping cart to the express lane and decide that that is okay. These lanes were invented for people who just came in for those few items on their list to get in and out of the store. The convenience and timesaving is gone if someone cuts in front with their full cart of groceries. This can occur sometimes when there aren’t enough cashiers open, aren’t enough managers on the floor to enforce the 10 items or less policy, or lack of self-checkout lanes available so customers can check themselves out.

9). People who talk during movies- I find it extremely irritating to pay $10 to see a movie in theaters and then have it ruined because the teenage girls in front of me were giggling and chatting throughout the entire film. If you want to talk, pick another activity. This exists because people are social and want to be engaged at all times. Friends may be catching up after a while away or couples may go on a date, but if you really want to have a conversation, pick another activity instead of ruining it for the others around you.

10). When the weather forecast is wrong- When the forecast predicts cold weather and you bundle up only to find it ridiculously hot outside, it can definitely be annoying. Or if you think it will be warm and wear shorts, and then you are surprised with colder temperatures and look unprepared. The worst in my opinion is when they predict 0% chance of rain and it pours all day (but of course you left your umbrella at home because the forecast said it wasn’t supposed to rain). Obviously meteorology is not perfect and technology is continuously improving, but knowing what type of weather to anticipate is something we have come to expect as a society.

11). People who are rude to anyone in the service industry- Whether it is a cashier or waitress, it drives me insane to see people disrespect anyone who is trying to help them. We all make mistakes and sometimes your order won’t be perfect, but there is no reason to attack another human being for a minor error. Yes, they are paid a salary for their work, just as you are for yours, but they are not paid to wait on you hand and foot. I think a few generations ago, it was more acceptable to put those in the service industry down, but our society has evolved and it’s time we move past it.

12). When there are dryers for your hands in a bathroom instead of paper towels- Although a simple annoyance, the blow dryers do not work as well and they take much longer. This is another easy answer as to why this is occurring more often. The shift toward environmental-consciousness is important, and I do believe we need to help out our planet, but I like my hands to be dry after I wash them.

13). People who are loud early in the morning- I am not much of a morning person, so I like to sleep in later than most people. I try not to be loud later at night when I am awake, so I appreciate the same courtesy from others. It is a pet peeve of mine to be woken up by loud and obnoxious people in the hallway because it is something that can be prevented and is just rude. I’m not sure what is so great about screaming in the hallway at 8:00 am, but you would be surprised how many people just assume the whole world is awake because they are.

14). People who are on their phone at the table- Eating meals are a time for spending quality time with the ones you love. If everyone is playing on their phones, you are not enjoying the company surrounding you. Whether it is a restaurant or at home, you should want to talk and catch up with those you are privileged enough to share a meal with. This bothers me especially when you glance around a restaurant and no one is talking to each other; everyone is so caught up in the glare of their tiny screen that they are in a trance-like state.

15). When you go to the store and they are out of the item you came for- Going to the grocery store can be a sort of production sometimes, but it is definitely not worth it when you get all the way there and they are out of stock of your favorite items. I am extremely brand loyal with certain products, so it is such a dilemma whether to go all the way to another store or try another brand that I will probably not like as much. We live in a society of convenience and any interruption in this pattern can throw my entire routine off.

16). People who are late- If you schedule to meet with someone at a certain time, just show up on time. Also, if you are stuck in traffic or something comes up, just send the a quick text or give them some sort of notice that you are running late so they don’t cancel all other plans to be on time when you won’t be. This is another simple courtesy thing to just arrive on time for scheduled dinners, appointments, etc. One of the reasons this bothers people so much is because if I canceled or turned down other plans to meet with someone, the least they can do is show up on time.

17). Headaches- I have had chronic migraines for about 10 years now and no doctor has ever been able to figure out exactly what causes them. I have amazing neurologists that have helped me manage them extremely well, but sometimes when they get bad enough, they take away enjoyment of certain activities. I think this would bother just about anyone to have severe headaches so frequently, but since I don’t know what causes them, I try not to get too worked up about them.

18). When Siri misunderstands what you say- We have all asked Siri for directions and been extremely frustrated when she wants to take you to another continent because she has no idea what you’re saying. Obviously Siri is a computer system so she doesn’t have the vocabulary of a human, but sometimes when you really need her, she does fail. She has only a limited database, so it is impossible for her to be able to comprehend every command.

19). People who are overly critical- “Oh you joined a sorority, you paid for your friends. Oh you go to UF, FSU is better. Oh you cut your hair, I liked it better short.” There are sometimes with close friends and family that you want their input and opinions, but there are certain people that will interject their opinion on everything just to disagree with every choice you make, even if they have made similar ones.

20). Airport security- Getting to the airport at least an hour early is a pain, but having to follow all of the strict procedures on liquids, taking off your shoes, metal detectors, etc. is even more of a hassle. This “bug” can be easiest explained because each is simply a safety precaution for heightened security since 9/11. We all may complain and it is still often annoying when standing in such long lines, but knowing that safety is such a priority is also very important to me.

Reflection: I did find this exercise more challenging than I expected. It is hard to pinpoint what bothers me and the root cause as to why it is annoying. Although some things on this list are unique to me, I would say many of them also irritate other people as well. In the heat of the moment, some things bug you, but making a list and detailing why was a bit more thought-provoking.