20 of My Pet Peeves and Why they Exist
- Losing my Phone/Wallet/Keys and having no idea where they could be
- I won't lie -- I'm very forgetful and I have a nasty habit of sending myself on scavenger hunts since I tend to leave my belongings everywhere. While apps like FindMyiPhone are certainly life savers, there's no FindMyWallet/Keys readily available on the App Store
- Having to carry my phone/wallet/keys everywhere
- This problem exists because they all serve different functions. What if there was a way we can integrate all three into the smartphone? Maybe this can even solve our first bug!
- Showing up late to obligations
- I know that I am especially guilty of this! Sometimes I just tend to forget when that meeting was supposed to start or when that homework assignment was supposed to be due
- Dishonest Nutrition Labels in grocery store items
- One 2013 study on popular snack food products showed that the accuracy of labeled calories in those products were variable, sometimes leading to greater than expected caloric intake (1). This problem potentially exists due to food companies wanting their products to seem healthier
- Instagram Fitness "Guru's" who spread false information to sell their product
- These people will twist any scientific study in their favor to convince their followers that they NEED to drink their new revolutionary gluten-free, vegan, 100% non-GMO detox skinny tea.
- Pants that don't fit for athletes
- This problem exists because big clothing brands will create waist/leg/inseam sizes based on the average population. However, for many athletes who tend to have smaller waists and thicker legs, it makes shopping for pants a nightmare
- Awkward fitting suits/dress shirts for athletes
- Similar to the pants issue, often times athletes will run into the problem of a dress shirt either being too small in the chest area or too long in arm's length.
- My Dog chewing up my shoes
- Whether it's due to boredom or the smell of the shoe or some other reason, this bug REALLY annoys me. Still Love you though, Dasha :)
- Updates to smartphone apps that actually make the app more difficult to use
- Tell me if this has happened to you…you start to love an app and use it every day. Suddenly the developers come out with a whole bunch of unnecessary updates that actually MAKE THE APP HARDER TO USE. I think this issue is caused by pressure that developers feel to constantly update their apps to stay ahead of competition.
- People who slam the weights at the Gym
- Are you trying to lift weights or are you trying to create an earthquake, buddy? I realize that we can't expect everyone to follow gym-etiquette, so maybe the solution lies in developing sound-muffling flooring or plates.
- Not being able to use chalk at the Gym
- Chalk is a great tool for lifting - it eliminates moisture from your hands allowing you to have better grip control of the weight. Unfortunately, commercial gyms HATE chalk because it creates a difficult mess to clean
- The lack of fat-free baked goods in grocery stores
- So far the only ones I've found readily-available in grocery aisles are Snackwell's Devil Cookies and Newton's Fat Free Fig Cookies. I'm not saying they're bad, I'm just saying that I would throw lots of money at some fat free brownies
- Never having accurate nutrition info from restaurants
- One study showed that some restaurant items contained up to Double its stated caloric values (2). This can seriously hamper an individual's efforts to self-monitor caloric intake. I believe this inaccuracy stems from inconsistencies in portion sizes used in restaurants.
- How healthier alternatives to food/lifestyle are often inaccessible for lower income individuals/households
- I understand that growing organic foods is more costly than traditional methods. However, I find its disheartening that some people simply can't afford to eat healthy. Diet plays a huge role on how a body operates, and a lot of diet-related health problems are prevalent in low-income areas.
- College students who think alcohol/drugs are necessary to have fun
- We've all been there and most of us have made it out alive. However, for others the endings aren't so great. Partying is fun, but mixing newly-turned adults with an environment with a growing binge-drinking culture is a recipe for disaster
- Finding reliable sources of information on the internet
- We're lucky to live in the information age where endless amounts of information are available at our fingertips. Yet, anyone can post on the internet. The difficulty we now face is in filtering through the mountains of junk and finding reliable information from trustworthy sources
- Drinking too much coffee at the library and not being able to fall asleep at home
- Yes, I'm one of those people that HAS to visit the Starbucks line every time I study at the library. However, the caffeine rush at night gives me trouble falling asleep. I wish there was a non-invasive sleeping supplement on the market that negates the effects of caffeine
- Going to the library and getting nothing done
- FaceBook, Youtube, Twitter, Instagram, Netflix are the bane of my library existence. I'm embarassed to admit that I'll sometimes find myself closing my Facebook browser only to re-open it again in under a minute.
- Walking around in a suit under the Florida Sun, resulting in me showing up covered in
sweat for the event
- The materials companies use to create suits traps all the heat inside and leaves you showing up to the meeting looking like you just took a shower. They should really consider some lighter materials
- Getting a bad haircut
- If you're not an expert on hair, its difficult to vocalize to your barber exactly how you want the haircut to look like. By the time you want to tell your barber that he's messed up, your hair is already past the point of no return
Reflections
The biggest challenge in developing this list was in finding 20 things that I was annoyed about. Professor Pryor was spot on when he said that people are largely unaware of the inefficiencies that happen all around them. Initially, I sat down on my computer and could only come up with 5 bugs. However, over the course of the week, I started to approach my daily life with this assignment in mind. I've found that there are so many areas in my life that could be improved if only a certain product or service existed.
You did a really good job on your bug list. A lot of them I could really relate too, especially losing the phone and wallet. I'm notorious for using the "Find My iPhone" app while at home. I'm right there with you when you say that healthy food choices are unavailable to the less fortunate. It is really annoying that you can purchase a hamburger a lot cheaper than you can purchase a salad. I really liked your number 15 bug about drugs and alcohol. I for one never understood the fun in not being in full control of your body, not being able to remember what you did the previous night or even waking up in the morning with a massive headache.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your Bug List. I thought the name of your blog was creative and the blog really caught my eye as soon as I clicked the link. The structure of the blog and the posts were very enticing, specific and relatable. I think many students struggle with going to the library and not being able to be productive as you said. Reading your conclusion was enjoyable because it is very hard to find 20 things that annoy you regularly.
ReplyDeleteAs a forgetful person, I also hate having to keep track of various every day items such as keys, phone, wallet, sunglasses, etc. I misplace or lose them all constantly. I appreciated the organized aesthetic of your post as well as most of your "bugs". As someone who's suffered a fair amount of bad haircuts, I sympathize with your case. I really enjoyed your "bug" about the lack of accessible healthy options since I'm such a fitness and health focused individual.
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