Things That Annoy Me

I complain about a lot of things (for example, anything related to ChemE) but most of the time I do it because I like complaining. It’s a great conversation topic. After current state of being and weather, you complain about all. the. things. There are, however, some things that legitimately drive me just a little bit crazy. And yes, I’m sure I have habits that some people find horribly irritating too. This list will probably annoy someone.

1) Crossing the street wherever and whenever. I walk dozens of miles every month. To class, to and from the bus stop, to the grocery store, just because I feel like it. And I know what it’s like to be late to class and need to save twenty seconds by not walking to the crosswalk at the intersection. But running across the street is very different from strolling across the street. Without looking for cars first. While staring down at your phone.

2) Biking. Specifically, trying to bike anywhere that’s not a quiet, peaceful suburb or specifically marked in neon yellow paint every thirty feet as a bike lane or path. Ann Arbor calls itself a “bike friendly” city, yet the cars still freak out at bikes on the road, pedestrians freak out at bikes on the sidewalk, and half the bike lanes spit you out into traffic.¹ Don’t even get me started on making left turns in traffic.

3) People who are late to everything. I’m okay with people being 5-10 minutes late, even consistently, because I know it’s easy to go from “plenty of time to get there” to “running out the door about to miss the bus” just in the time it takes to put your shoes and jacket on and not forget your keys. I’m also okay with one-time “missed the bus” or “slept through the alarm” events. I’m not okay with consistently being over fifteen minutes late for reasons like “decided to paint my nails” or “thought I could walk a mile in five minutes.” We learned in band in middle school that early is on time, and on time is late. Words to live by.

4) Using “I’m lazy” as an excuse for not doing things.

5) Using “I’m lazy” as an excuse for doing things.

6) When air conditioning is set at sub-Arctic temperatures. I should not have to put my jacket on to go inside during the summer.

7) Celery in chicken salad. Raw celery is an abomination to food everywhere. Cooked celery is barely acceptable when boiled to a tasteless mush in soups.

8) Tight pants. Putting on pants should not take extra time to heave them over my calves and thighs. Wearing pants should not restrict my ability to bend my knee.

9) The dishwasher placement in my last apartment. Opening the dishwasher blocked the stove, the microwave, and three quarters of the available counter space. It was also as far away as possible from the sink, so whenever we put washed dishes into the dishwasher drying rack to dry, we dripped water all over the kitchen floor. And yes, we were all Asian.

10) The fact that if you go to the Arboretum, run by the Cornell Plantations, which supports the outdoors and nature and people enjoying the outdoors and nature, you will pass no less than thirteen parking lots but exactly zero bike racks. Apparently the lesson to be learned is only enjoy nature if you can drive to it.

There’s also short shorts, the decibel level in movie theaters, instant gratification, wet socks, people automatically assuming I’m right handed, and much more, but I’ll leave it at this for now.

¹It’s not entirely cars’ or pedestrians’ fault. I’ve seen bikers not wearing helmets, weaving in and out of traffic, breezing through stop signs, and going the wrong way on one way streets.