Oh, boy, it feels great to be out and about again!
You’re excited to be enjoying the great outdoors and meeting both new people and old friends.
There’s just one problem - the people. For every new friend in the making, there’s someone who just
drives you nuts. They all seem to have bad habits that drive you up the wall. Why can’t they just be
like you - no one has a problem with you, right? You might be surprised. Bad habits
are surprisingly common - and you might even have a few. These are the ten
habits that annoy other people the most. #10. Rude Noises Remember when you were a kid, and the teacher
would drag the chalk across the chalkboard? You were just about ready to tear your hair out. Well,
if you’re sensitive to noises, it might be pretty hard to handle being around other people for long.
There are a lot of little noises that people make day to day that just drive others nuts. Some of
these include cracking their knuckles - which might not be healthy for the joints either - or
smacking their lips while they talk. Sometimes even something as simple as tapping legs while
sitting and talking can get on someone’s nerves. So why do people make these noises
- and why are they so annoying? There’s no one reason. Sometimes
people are just a little bored, so they do something with their hands
to occupy themselves. Sometimes it’s a nervous tic. Some people are loud chewers and it
might not even be totally under their control. And neither is being annoyed by it. Some people
have a condition called misophonia that makes certain sounds intolerable to them. Something
as simple as people chewing the wrong way can make them panic or even become enraged - so it
might be best to just end the conversation there. But this next habit definitely
isn’t unintentional. #9. Being Too Blunt We all know that person - they say the
rudest things and then announce “Oh, I’m just telling it like it is!”. But really,
no one needed to know that this dress made you look like a hot air balloon, or that you were
their third choice to go on a date with. Sure, there are sometimes when bluntness is a good
idea - if you have a friend who can tell you when you’re being an idiot and about to make
a terrible decision, that can be helpful. But there’s a difference between that, and someone
insulting you and trying to pass it off as bluntness. And if they don’t like being told
that, well, you’re just telling it like it is. But why are some people unable to
keep these comments to themselves? Some people are just mean. It may have been
acceptable in school to give someone a wedgie or push them down on the playground, but
after graduation that’s just called assault. So bullies have to find other ways to bully, and
the targets are often their friends. But not all blunt people are bullies. Some are trying to
help, but don’t know how to say it politely, or are mirroring things they heard from
their parents. But good intentions or bad, this habit annoys people because it never
feels good to be insulted. People who get this treatment are likely to either become more
self-conscious - or just find other friends. You might want these people to go away -
but these next group are just the opposite. #8. Being Late - All the Time! You get that call that your friend wants to
meet for lunch! You cancel the rest of your plans for the day, get dressed, and hold off
on eating until noon - and then they call and say they’ll be a little late. A little late
turns into 3:30, and the restaurant isn’t even serving the lunch specials anymore. Sure,
delays happen, but if a friend is constantly late, it’s easy to start wondering why you’re scheduling
your day around them. This is an even bigger problem if you’re planning a vacation with them,
or relying on them to pick you up from somewhere. A lost afternoon is one thing, but consistent
lateness can cause much bigger issues. So what’s the holdup, anyway? It’s not hard to see why lateness annoys people.
If you make plans and then someone shows up late, the whole schedule goes out the window.
And if a whole group of friends has plans and one person is late, it starts to seem
easier to just leave the squeaky wheel out of the plans next time. But what causes
consistent lateness is more complicated. Some people have trouble judging time, and the
next thing they know they have ten things to do and too little time to do them. Other people
get thrown off by their sleep cycle. Others, though, just assume people will wait for them
- and eventually they might be surprised. Of course, some people might
want this next guy to stay away. #7. Being THAT Guy at the Party Woo-hoo, party time! There’s no better way
to meet people than an old-fashioned mixer. You dance, play some party games, and maybe get a
little drunk. But there’s always that one guy who takes it too far. He thinks the party starts when
he shows up, but really, everyone’s just wondering what he’ll break this time. He’s loud, seems
to think the party is his private stunt show, and if it doesn’t end with someone driving
him to the hospital after a kegstand mishap, the odds are you’ll still have
to explain a few broken lamps. So why does he keep getting invited to places? Well, sometimes this guy is the life
of the party! He provides comic relief, but there’s a fine line between being over the top
and just too much. Sometimes this guy is trying to get positive attention, and sometimes he just
can’t handle his alcohol too well and doesn’t know when to quit. His friends are usually willing
to put up with him - until his poor judgement goes a little too far and he says something he
shouldn’t, or breaks something too valuable. And if you don’t know who that guy is in your
parties, think long and hard - are you that guy? This next person won’t wreck your
house - but they may wreck your nerves. #6. No Sense of Personal Space! An old friend sees you for the first time
in a while! You wave to them and hold your hand out for a handshake - and the next thing
you know you’re being swept up in a bear hug. They sure are excited to see you, even if
your ribs aren’t exactly happy about it. Even after you’re released from the vice grip,
they’re so close to you as they talk that you’re pretty sure you can see their tonsils. We’ve all
had that friend who talks a little too close, hugs a little too tight, and gets your
attention by punching you in the arm. Sure, they mean well, but you’re a little
afraid for your safety when you’re around. Why can’t they just back off? This can often be a cultural thing -
body language and personal space is different in different cultures, and even
in different regions of the same country. What feels natural and friendly to one
person may feel intimidating to another. If it’s a good friend, it may be best just to talk
it out and tell them that you’re not comfortable with the high-intensity contact - and they’ll
probably get it. If they don’t, that’s a bigger problem and it might be time to find another
friend. Either way, your ribs will thank you. But at least they’re happy to see
you? The next person, I’m not sure. #5. Being Too Negative Going on vacation with a friend can be exciting!
You discover new places and you have someone you know and trust by your side in case of unexpected
events. You’re having a blast - but if they are, they could fool you. There’s a complaint about
everything - the plane ride, the hotel room, the restaurants. They even complained that
there are too many French people in France! Some people feel like they’re impossible to
please. Even at the happiest event, they’re the first to zero in on a little thing and spend
the entire rest of the day complaining about it. Why are some people so hard to please? Sometimes this is a sign of depression, where
they expect things to go wrong and keep their expectations low. Other times they’re
mirroring past experiences - maybe dad could never be pleased even when they got all A’s
on their report card. But whatever the reason, being around this person can be a drag for
people who look on the bright side of things. There’s nothing fun about having the
time of your life and suddenly someone is talking about all the things that could go
wrong. You can hear about bad things at home! But at least being a debbie
downer won’t offend the senses. #4. Poor Personal Hygiene We all know that person who just
can’t seem to get it together. Maybe they only seem to wash their hair once in
a blue moon and are constantly playing with it. Maybe they’re a close talker and you
get a wave of bad breath any time they open their mouth. Maybe they can’t keep
their fingers out of...everywhere. Ew. These are habits most kids are taught to ditch
in preschool, and yet some adults still have trouble getting a handle on it. Not only is it
gross to look at, but you might be worried that being associated with these people will make you
look bad - or even pick up some unwanted bugs. You’ve got to say something - but what? There’s no tactful way to say “You stink”.
Most people might avoid the topic because they don’t want to be #9 on this list and
lose a friend. But in social situations, it can be tricky to hang around
someone with personal hygiene issues. One of the most common causes of this problem
is depression - when someone is struggling, even the smallest task can be difficult to manage.
Suddenly taking a shower can feel like climbing Mount Everest. This is even more difficult when
someone lives alone and has no one to remind them. But if the problem is getting out of control,
it might be time for a friend intervention. But this next hygiene issue may
be much more than an annoyance. #3. Smoking For smokers, the whole world sometimes seems
like it’s a big non-smoking zone these days. Most places have banned smoking inside, but
even outside - that smoke carries. Not only do many people not want their friends smoking
around them, but the smoke is so persistent that it can linger on the clothes and on the
breath long after the last cigarette - which makes a casual conversation with a friend
a challenge if you can’t stand the smell. So why does this old habit
get so many people worked up? Well, for one thing - even if you don’t smoke,
secondhand smoke can increase the risk of cancer and other ailments. And if someone
has allergies or other lung ailments, being around a smoker can make them sick.
That’s why many smokers are retreating to the few remaining places that allow smoking indoors
- often casinos, cigar clubs, and other private clubs - and many friend groups might as well
have a sign outside - smoking or non-smoking. Some people don’t get that their actions
affect others - like this next group. #2. It’s All About Me! Some people can’t help but turn the
conversation back to their favorite subject every time - themselves. You’ve all had this
conversation - you just applied for a job and you’re waiting to hear back, and the next thing
you know your friend is launching into the world’s longest story about the worst job interview they
ever had. These people can even turn a best man speech at a wedding into the story of how they
were the best friend you’ve ever had. If they were a Disney character, they’d have a showstopping
musical number about how great they are. So why IS it all about them? Most of the time, it’s insecurity. People
who are genuinely confident in themselves and their place in a friend group are more
comfortable taking a step back once in a while. If someone feels like they don’t really
belong or was socially awkward in the past, they might try too hard to make themselves the
center of attention. It can be an annoying habit, but many friends just decide to put up with it. Of
course, if someone pushes it too far and hijacks the wrong event, they might find themselves the
center of attention in the worst way possible. But at least these people won’t
get you kicked out of a restaurant. #1. Were You Raised in a Barn? The most annoying habit is one that shows up a
lot - at least three meals a day. Rude eaters are a problem everyone deals with at some point,
and there are so many ways to make a dining partner cringe in the restaurant. Maybe you’ve
got that friend who thinks every food is a finger food - even spaghetti. Maybe they finish their
soup by picking up the bowl and slurping it down, or maybe they can’t even keep their mouth
closed when they’re chewing. Either way, it might just be enough to put you off your meal. So why can’t some people seem to eat properly? As usual, this comes back to how they were
raised. Table manners are one of those things taught at a young age, and if their parents
made dinner a free-for-all, it’s going to be harder to unlearn that later in life. The older
someone gets, the harder it is to break a habit, and there’s no tactful way to say “You eat like
a wild animal” during a date or friendly dinner. Maybe it’s time to consider hanging
out with this friend at the movies, so they can face-plant into a bucket of
popcorn in complete darkness instead. For more on annoying behaviors, check out “American Behaviors
Considered Rude in Other Countries”, or watch “Weirdest Phobias People Suffer From”
for how unpredictable social interactions can be.
