We all have our nervous habits or twitches or what have you. I tend to touch my hair obsessively, others bite their nails, some crack knuckles. Most of these habits are irritating to others. My hair touching drives my sisters crazy, and in fact just recently my 5-year-old niece asked, "Auntie, why are you always touching your hair?"
The truth is, many of us just can't help it. But some of these habits are far less tolerable than others. For example, while I don't particularly enjoy the sound of knuckles cracking, or teeth biting through nails, the worst of the worst is leg shaking. Though I will say that if someone is constantly cracking their knuckles over and over and over again, that can be pretty irritating. But to me, leg shaking is just intolerable.
The reason for this is that leg shakers shake their legs while they are seated. They are often seated near a desk or a table. As a result, the entire desk or table (and often even the floor) shakes with them. My reaction is usually to wonder if I'm going crazy, then to wonder if there is a mild earthquake occurring, and then to identify the source as a leg shaker. Now, leg shaking is one of those things where I actually will suck it up and ask the person to please stop shaking. But you aren't always in a position to do so. Sometimes the leg shaker is several people down from you during a class, or a meeting, or a lecture. Sometimes the leg shaker is a stranger, making it very uncomfortable for you to have to say something. Sometimes you suck up your discomfort and ask them anyway, only to have them to stop for about 30 seconds and recommence. Frustration ensues.
I can be sympathetic. I don't touch my hair consciously, and I doubt leg shakers shake on purpose. But there is a big difference between being irritated by someone's unconscious habit, and actually enduring physical tremors caused by a person. Try writing on a surface that is shaking. Or concentrating on reading. Or paying attention to a professor. Or eating. It's pretty hard to do. Especially when you're dealing with a really violent leg shaker, who can actually induce motion sickness in those unfortunate enough to be within their shaky realm.
I know that we all are under a lot of stress, or are just tense people, or had too many cups of coffee...but there really is no need to shake the entire room just for your own comfort. So please, keep the tremors at bay by going off caffeine, sitting in an isolated area of the room, or taking on some quieter, less distracting neurotic habits. I can teach you all about the dysfunctional bliss of hair touching. Just let me know...
The truth is, many of us just can't help it. But some of these habits are far less tolerable than others. For example, while I don't particularly enjoy the sound of knuckles cracking, or teeth biting through nails, the worst of the worst is leg shaking. Though I will say that if someone is constantly cracking their knuckles over and over and over again, that can be pretty irritating. But to me, leg shaking is just intolerable.
The reason for this is that leg shakers shake their legs while they are seated. They are often seated near a desk or a table. As a result, the entire desk or table (and often even the floor) shakes with them. My reaction is usually to wonder if I'm going crazy, then to wonder if there is a mild earthquake occurring, and then to identify the source as a leg shaker. Now, leg shaking is one of those things where I actually will suck it up and ask the person to please stop shaking. But you aren't always in a position to do so. Sometimes the leg shaker is several people down from you during a class, or a meeting, or a lecture. Sometimes the leg shaker is a stranger, making it very uncomfortable for you to have to say something. Sometimes you suck up your discomfort and ask them anyway, only to have them to stop for about 30 seconds and recommence. Frustration ensues.
I can be sympathetic. I don't touch my hair consciously, and I doubt leg shakers shake on purpose. But there is a big difference between being irritated by someone's unconscious habit, and actually enduring physical tremors caused by a person. Try writing on a surface that is shaking. Or concentrating on reading. Or paying attention to a professor. Or eating. It's pretty hard to do. Especially when you're dealing with a really violent leg shaker, who can actually induce motion sickness in those unfortunate enough to be within their shaky realm.
I know that we all are under a lot of stress, or are just tense people, or had too many cups of coffee...but there really is no need to shake the entire room just for your own comfort. So please, keep the tremors at bay by going off caffeine, sitting in an isolated area of the room, or taking on some quieter, less distracting neurotic habits. I can teach you all about the dysfunctional bliss of hair touching. Just let me know...
3 comments:
OHMYGOD. I sooo agree. I hate it when people shake their legs. It about drives me nuts.! My family all thinks I'm crazy, but even the littlest shakeing of the leg bothers me. Sooo many people do it at school, I'm like dead. I wish it didn't bother me!
I HATE leg shaking. I feel your pain! They need to get on medication for restless leg syndrome and leave us NON shakers in peace! I mean if one of the students were waving their hand around vigorously they would be told to stop! Why not the legs! It is completely distracting how can anyone focus with that going on??
Agreed... it sucks to be a student when everyone's jiggling her leg (I actually see more girls do it than guys). Leg shakers look like they're having seizures because they often move onto bigger movements. I CANNOT CONCENTRATE ON THE LESSON BECAUSE OF THOSE WRETCHED "EARTHQUAKES".
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