You may be wondering, what is a pet peeve? If you are not yet familiar with the subject then you are in the right place. Here you will read about the top 10 most annoying pet peeves I could whip up. A pet peeve is usually something someone does that ticks you off, but it’s done either directly or indirectly. For example, if your teacher is giving a long lecture on AP US History, but you struggle to focus because Stacy is chewing on her popcorn, so loudly, that you could hear her from across the room! Some of you may think you do not have a pet peeve, but I can assure you by the end of this you will realize just how many you have towards friends, family, or even your next door neighbor Tom.
Imagine you’re on your way to school and you already started off your morning terribly due to transportation, so you try to speed things up on your arrival to school. Then you find yourself in a pickle when your classmates are walking too slow in the hallway to get to class on time. One of the top ten pet peeves by far experienced by adults and kids alike have reported slow walkers being one of the worse possible pet peeves out there, because people tend to walk too slow while traveling or going about their business. I am sure everyone agrees when I say that a little self awareness can go a long way. I want you to picture yourself siting at a table enjoying some Ramen while doing an assignment, then all of a sudden your sibling comes along with their tablet and a bowl of chips. Now I am sure you know where this is headed since children, especially at a young age, lack self awareness. Loud chewing is unappealing to the ears, so you could imagine why so many people dislike loud open mouth chewing- since it tends to be both messy and distracting.
As you may have noticed pet peeves typically have one thing in common, they tend to be excruciatingly annoying to deal with when we are put in situations we can not avoid nor escape- which brings us to our third pet peeve, having slow internet. Slow internet often interferes with our daily rituals at school, work, and home. It is a universal concept, so it is no surprise that this made it on the list when it’s almost a daily interference for some.
Now here are some of your teachers pet peeves, being late and interrupting. It’s embarrassing showing up late to class after attempting to be on time then having the entire classroom stare at you. The thought of having people wait on you is what makes the situation unbearable almost to the point of not wanting to show up at all. As for interrupting, it is not only annoying, but disrespectful towards the speaker. You could imagine what it would feel like if you were having a conversation with your friend Tracy, but then Tracy’s best friend decided to jump in and take over with out giving you enough time to finish speaking. The situation is bad all around, so it is very important to be considerate of your friends, peers, and even strangers when you notice them talking. It can do more harm than good by not learning how to properly listen and communicate with others, and it is a life long skill that will come in handy sooner or later.
As for the remaining five pet peeves I want you to start thinking a little harder. What is something people often do in a public setting such as a movie theater or in the lunch line at school? BINGO you guessed it, skipping the line. Since the day line skippers roamed the earth, we have had it out for them. It often began in elementary school, but it never stopped there. Patience is key in situations like these and life is too precious to be too worried, but know that if you do this you are seen! It can bother people more than you know.
Have you ever had a long day, and you are at home, so you decide to grab a bite to eat- but it felt like you forgot something? Next thing you know your mom is in your ear saying “WAS THIS YOU?,” or, “GET YOUR BUTT OUT HERE RIGHT NOW.” We know we’re in for a rude awakening now. Your mom is familiar with this one, yep you guessed it, leaving an empty container in the fridge. It’s one of those things our parents tell us time and time again, and yet we still manage to forget. It’s like pranking someone without the joke. Just imagine the horror in their eyes when they picked up that empty bottle of orange juice expecting orange juice, or grabbing a container, expecting leftovers from last night- only to be met with disappointment.
Another huge pet peeve is when someone’s invades your personal space. Your personal space is sacred, so it does not matter who or where you are. You could be on Mars and your space would still be yours and yours alone. Ask yourself how would you feel if someone came and invaded your space? Many people see it as disturbing or uncomfortable. If you are close enough for someone to smell their breathe, odds are your are too close for comfort. Do not fret, we all have our imperfections which is why it’s important to practice mindfulness each and everyday, only then will we see improvement.
Picture this, you’re minding your business going about your day then someone sits next to you with their phone playing videos on full blast. People dislike those who are inconsiderate. Sometimes we forget how to code switch, or adapt to the environment we are in. It becomes a problem for others depending on the setting, because yes there is such a thing as the right place but wrong time. What is deemed as appropriate or inappropriate depends entirely on your social group. This is why knowing how to read the room is crucial in times like these.
The last pet peeve I would like to address is the issue regarding crowding in public places. New Yorker’s crowding into one tight space is a disaster waiting to happen on buses and trains. Truth be told people are fed up dealing with it, almost on a daily basis- especially in the morning. Crowding can be problematic and dangerous, it leads to traffic in our streets, sidewalks, sometimes public places such as the mall or movie theater. Imagine going to Bath and Body Works and there is a Black Friday sale. You would never reach the cash register within a timely fashion, and to top it off, you are standing for long periods of time most likely without food or water. It’s bad business for everyone, but it’s good to remain positive in bad situations.
When you encounter a pet peeve, remember it’s up to you to handle the situation in a calm and collected manner, because leading by example is a good place to start- as you strive for self improvement.