Five things that have been aggravating me lately

Can we please start being more considerate of others?

Photo Courtesy of Women’s Basketball Association- Wikimedia Commons

As this semester begins, I have taken a lot of time to reflect on what truly annoys me in life. You may be wondering why I would take time out of my day to do this; well, it brings me some sense of relief to know that I am justified in getting annoyed over these things: 

1. People (misogynists) who hate women's sports.

This particular point has been on my mind quite frequently, especially as an avid watcher of the WNBA. For those who do not know, the WNBA is currently in the latter half of season 30, and there has been an abundance of discourse on male sports fans critiquing the league. Now, this is an issue in every single women's sport and I find it ridiculous how some men constantly feel the need to put down female athletes. These men are constantly in social media comments putting down female athletes and comparing their performances to male greats, while conveniently forgetting that women have different biological capabilities and have different skill sets—which is what makes watching both men’s and women's sports so special!

2. When people make fun of others on social media platforms.

I am positive that we have all seen someone making fun of another for simple life occurrences. For example, there are always a plethora of posts on YikYak about someone falling on the steps; why do we feel the need as a society to continuously highlight someone else’s embarrassing moments? I cannot imagine having a rough day and then opening up social media to see someone ridiculing me for something that added to my bad day. As a society, we need to regain empathy and learn what is appropriate to post on social media. 

3. AI use on campus.

I still do not understand why society so easily relies on AI. Since returning to campus, there has been a plethora of conversation on AI usage and how some departments are encouraging/allowing students to utilize AI. When did the value of critical thinking and individuality decrease to the point that schools are pushing the use of AI? There should be no reason that AI is being recommended in any type of educational setting—it completely diminishes the hard, genuine work that many other students are putting in to pass. 

4. Being chronically late.

There comes a point where being “chronically late” turns into just being rude. If you know that you are someone who is frequently running late to things, you need to start managing your time better. What is even more annoying is when the people who are “chronically late” make an abundance of excuses or claim that it is not a big deal. One thing that truly irks me is when my time is wasted, so do not be that person who is always late and making it everyone else's problem!

5. Lack of manners.

When people do not use their manners, that really aggravates me. It is extremely rude to not say “thank you” after someone holds the door for you. This also translates to being rude to workers around campus. So many students do not say “please” or “thank you” to any of the food service workers when they are getting their food and it truly is so rude. Using your manners will never be a negative thing, but not using them will always be seen poorly (as it should).

Overall, extending a few moments out of our day to choose kindness and act courteously should never be a question. Next time you think of engaging in one of these very annoying and rude actions, reconsider and remember this article!