Assignment 2A- Bug List
How to Bug Me:)
- Having to make plans with groups and them being overcomplicated.
WHY it exists: Trying to figure out what works best for people can cause excess conversation and time spent planning. The same time and place does not work for everyone in the group. Text messages can be more confusing in group chats. Sometimes getting from point A to point B requires a few stops in between.
- When the food at Zeta Tau Alpha is not what is described in our weekly menu.
WHY it exists: Everyone has different taste pallets and likings. Some people are more picky than others or are culturally used to different things. While some people may having a liking for fried catfish, others may not. There is also could be miscommunication between the chef and the planner.
- Trying to make your way through crowds at festivals or concerts like EDC.
WHY it exists: Due to the amount of people who attend these events, they can easily become overcrowded. People are not willing to give up their spot or move the slightest inch, even if you are just passing through.
- Not being able to find scooter parking on campus.
WHY it exists: There are thousands of students who own scooters to commute to campus. Since the campus is closed to vehicles during the day, the only available parking is around the outside of campus. Therefore, the demand for parking can not be supplied.
- Trying to do laundry at Infinity Hall at any time other than midnight.
WHY it exists: There are three washer and three dryers for around 80 people on my floor. Residents tend to have certain time periods to do laundry. Sometimes, people have to leave and leave there laundry to sit for hours. The lack of washers and dryers and inefficient use can cause a backup and long wait times.
- Loud noises or background sound when I am trying to sleep.
WHY it exists: Noises such as music or talking can be distracting to someone who is trying to sleep. Without trying, you can find yourself picking up on words and thinking about other things than falling asleep.
- Uber’s surging on game days and holiday weekends.
WHY it exists: When large crowds of people are all trying to call an Uber at the same time, there simply are not enough cars to get to everyone in a reasonable time. Therefore, the company is forced to raise prices in order to divert some of their customers to find alternate rides.
- When directions to an assignment are too vague or broad.
WHY it exists: Everyone can interpret words or phrases in different ways. While trying to explain something, it may make perfect sense in your head, but be unclear to someone else trying to read it. The process of communication allows for mixed interpretations of a set of directions.
- Not being able to find a spot at the library during exam week.
WHY it exists: Exam week can easily be argued as the most studious week of a semester. Almost every student is cramming or spending hours studying. Due to the higher volume of students and staying at the library for longer periods, it can be hard to find a spot without walking around until someone gets up.
- Having to buy food or make donations in order to attend sorority functions that I already pay for.
WHY it exists: To ensure participation and attendance to sorority philanthropies and sisterhood events, points are assigned. This allows for only active members to be awarded with date functions and socials.
- Not being able to think of things to add to a Christmas list or birthday present when being asked.
WHY it exists: Being put on the spot or being forced to think of things you need or want can put pressure on you. Pressure and forgetting can cause this task to be more difficult than usual.
- Not being able to think of a word or name of a person or place.
WHY it exists: Overthinking or being put on the spot can cause pressure and anxiety that can make you forget even the simplest of things. Continuing to think of it adds to it, then later on in a regular stress-free scenario the answer normally comes more naturally.
- Having to wait in line for ten or more minutes in the girls’ bathroom line while watching there be no line for the boy’s restroom.
WHY it exists: Girls tend to go to bathrooms in groups for safety and social reasons. It can take more time to go to the bathroom and then reapply things such as makeup afterward. The more people and activities can cause longer wait times.
- When my air pods disconnect at the gym or library and everyone around me can hear what I am listening to.
WHY it exists: As every other tech product, disconnections can occur. When there is an interruption in the Bluetooth connection or wifi, it can cause the music to play from your device rather than from the air pods.
- Watching reality TV, award shows, or the Bachelor.
WHY it exists: Reality TV and award shows bring in a lot of revenue for producers and telecasting companies. Producers script the shows in a way to create drama and excitement, rather than having raw reality, in order to make money.
- Waiting for a response from someone, seeing the typing bubble type up, then it disappears with no response.
WHY it exists: Technology instills a sense of instantaneity that everyone expects. Problems such as poor service, low battery, or simply being busy can get in the way of these expectations.
- Not being able to find shorts that fit my waist and are long enough.
WHY it exists: Every person has a different body type. Many brands assume that if you are taller than the size of your waist will increase. This causes issues with finding the right length and waist size.
- Getting excited or craving Chick-Fila on a Sunday.
WHY it exists: Chick Fila is a comfort food. On a Sunday evening, while doing homework away from my home, I want homey food. Chick Fila is closed every Sunday.
- Writing with a pen that runs out of ink while taking notes, and having to change to a different style pen.
WHY it exists: Ink in a pen will inevitably run out. Different pens have different sizes and pigments. Pens can make your writing look different, so switching pens can cause inconsistency.
- Making plans to go on the boat or be outside then it rains, especially at events like outdoor concerts.
WHY it exists: No one, not even meteorologists, can perfectly predict the weather with no error. Changes in the atmosphere or severe weather can cause changes in weather forecasts with little notice.
Reflection:
Personally, one of my weaknesses is getting irritated easily due to my high attention to detail. I have been working on this, but it was very easy for me to come up with twenty things that “bugged” me. It’s not that I am a pessimist or have a negative outlook, it’s just that inconveniences bother me. This activity made me realize that I can not control a lot of elements in my life and that I need to be more easy-going about them.
What opened my eyes to this realization was the question “why it exists?” Instead of explaining every little detail of why these events or actions bug me, I was able to think about why they may even occur in the first place. This reminded me of a video that my class viewed in The Good Life course last semester. The speech “This Is Water” by David Foster Wallace discusses bugs such as waiting in line at the grocery store or being stuck in traffic. He puts these two things in perspective by giving various examples of hard events the people around you could be experiencing. This put in perspective that the world doesn’t revolve around you and that it’s all about the perspective you take.
Overall, this assignment allowed me to think more like an entrepreneur because it allows you to identify why problems exist, rather than just accepting the bugs. This starts the process of finding new or innovative solutions to problems that I face in my personal life.
Hi Mady! I can relate with many of the things on you bug list, especially #11 and #12. It seems all year long I can think of things I might want, but as soon as I am being asked to come up with a Christmas or birthday list it seems to be an impossible task. And nothing is worse than when you are in the middle of trying to tell a good story and you simply can’t come up with the word you are trying to use to describe a person, place or situation. I think these bugs are quite universal. The interesting thing is I’ve never actually thought about why these situations exists, only that they can be incredibly frustrating in the moment. It’s true that the pressure of the situation and overthinking it really only makes it worse. I think the beauty of this exercise is that if you are someone who gets easily frustrated, it forces you to be more optimistic in order to identify why these bugs exists, despite the fact that they bug you. It’s all about perspective!
ReplyDeleteHi Mady! I enjoyed reading over your blog post. I am in a different phase of life than you so many of our bugs are very different, but I can relate to you on a couple of the bugs you listed. I also dislike having to wait in line for the girls bathroom when the boys bathroom has no line! I think you were right on your reasoning about why the bug exists. I think it's also possible that girls spend more time washing their hands than boys. The other bug I can relate to is running out of ink in a pen that you're using. I hate when I'm in the middle of something and I have to switch pens and the ink looks different on the paper. I think that's mostly because I'm a bit of a perfectionist. Good job on the assignment!
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