1. The Chipotle on University has a line out the door during all reasonable mealtimes
WHY it exists: This is one of the healthiest fast food options in walking proximity to the University of Florida so students usually stop by for a quick bite in between classes.
2. Double scooter parking spots
WHY it exists: Space for parking is limited on campus so this makes the most efficient use of space.
3. When UF builds parking lots instead of parking garages
WHY it exists: Parking garages are more expensive to build and harder to maintain than parking lots.
4. When people send audio messages via text instead of typing a message or calling
WHY it exists: It is faster to send an audio message to relay a complicated message and it adds convenience in case someone has their hands full (e.g. driving, eating, etc.).
5. Yellow lighting in apartments as opposed to white light
WHY it exists: Yellow light is usually associated with warmth and homeliness since it resembles that of a fireplace instead of white light which represents daylight.
6. That all-in-one washer and dryers are not commonplace
WHY it exists: An all-in-one washer and dryer are more expensive than buying two separate machines.
7. The lack of quiet vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, and washing machines
WHY it exists: All of the above machines need motors or engines to fulfill their function and those typically end up being noisy depending on their power.
8. Accounting students cannot book study rooms in Heavener Hall
WHY it exists: Accounting students have their own student commons to study in, so keeping the areas separate helps mitigate the high volume of foot traffic in Heavener Hall.
9. When people share Snapchat usernames instead of phone numbers
WHY it exists: Snapchat is more widely used to communicate amongst our generation because it shows read receipts, can send pictures and videos, and can post stories.
10. Having the first round of midterms for every class during my birthday week every year
WHY it exists: My birthday falls in late September and since classes usually have three exams, late September is the natural cut-off for material on the first exam; it is approximately a third of the way through the semester.
11. When people give cardinal directions
WHY it exists: People give cardinal directions because the grid system allows you to take multiple parallel routes to a similar destination.
12. When professors who have a double-block class teach the whole time without a break
WHY it exists: Professors who do this usually a lot of content to cover, so they need the extra time to accurately explain the material and answer questions. Other times, professors would rather teach through the block and end early than give a break.
13. Traffic in Gainesville on game days is so busy that it is impossible to find parking even on curbs
WHY it exists: UF is an SEC school, so alumni from all over the world come to see these games in addition to the current students.
14. That I have to carry a separate key for my apartment front door, bedroom, mail, and gym access
WHY it exists: The locks for each of these things are unique, so a different key must be used. Having a master key can compromise the effectiveness of the lock.
15. Professors who do not do carry-through for problems where answers carry from part a through part k
WHY it exists: Classes are usually large in volume, so grading exams using carry-through would be a tedious practice.
16. The wait times in emergency rooms end up being multiple hours which isn’t ideal for emergency situations
WHY it exists: If an accident happens after business hours, Urgent Care and family practices are closed. This means that all injured people must go to the ER which can create long wait times (especially if there is a shortage of staff). ERs also preference some cases over others (e.g. a car crash over a fever).
17. When Pollo Tropical doesn’t tell you that they have run out of an ingredient until after you’ve ordered
WHY it exists: This forces people to stay and choose an alternative ingredient, instead of taking their business elsewhere.
18. How automatic doors at stores do not open until you are really close to them, so you end up having to pause
WHY it exists: If the doors open when the customer is too far away, they might open as people walk by them (instead of just when they want to leave). This would waste energy and it might prompt people to finish shopping faster.
19. When automatic toilets don’t flush with enough water so not everything gets flushed
WHY it exists: Automatic toilets were designed to reduce the spread of bacteria and to conserve water, so they release less water than manual toilets. This can cause things to be improperly flushed.
20. Video lectures that offer closed captioning sometimes and not other times
WHY it exists: This is one of the healthiest fast food options in walking proximity to the University of Florida so students usually stop by for a quick bite in between classes.
2. Double scooter parking spots
WHY it exists: Space for parking is limited on campus so this makes the most efficient use of space.
3. When UF builds parking lots instead of parking garages
WHY it exists: Parking garages are more expensive to build and harder to maintain than parking lots.
4. When people send audio messages via text instead of typing a message or calling
WHY it exists: It is faster to send an audio message to relay a complicated message and it adds convenience in case someone has their hands full (e.g. driving, eating, etc.).
5. Yellow lighting in apartments as opposed to white light
WHY it exists: Yellow light is usually associated with warmth and homeliness since it resembles that of a fireplace instead of white light which represents daylight.
6. That all-in-one washer and dryers are not commonplace
WHY it exists: An all-in-one washer and dryer are more expensive than buying two separate machines.
7. The lack of quiet vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, and washing machines
WHY it exists: All of the above machines need motors or engines to fulfill their function and those typically end up being noisy depending on their power.
8. Accounting students cannot book study rooms in Heavener Hall
WHY it exists: Accounting students have their own student commons to study in, so keeping the areas separate helps mitigate the high volume of foot traffic in Heavener Hall.
9. When people share Snapchat usernames instead of phone numbers
WHY it exists: Snapchat is more widely used to communicate amongst our generation because it shows read receipts, can send pictures and videos, and can post stories.
10. Having the first round of midterms for every class during my birthday week every year
WHY it exists: My birthday falls in late September and since classes usually have three exams, late September is the natural cut-off for material on the first exam; it is approximately a third of the way through the semester.
11. When people give cardinal directions
WHY it exists: People give cardinal directions because the grid system allows you to take multiple parallel routes to a similar destination.
12. When professors who have a double-block class teach the whole time without a break
WHY it exists: Professors who do this usually a lot of content to cover, so they need the extra time to accurately explain the material and answer questions. Other times, professors would rather teach through the block and end early than give a break.
13. Traffic in Gainesville on game days is so busy that it is impossible to find parking even on curbs
WHY it exists: UF is an SEC school, so alumni from all over the world come to see these games in addition to the current students.
14. That I have to carry a separate key for my apartment front door, bedroom, mail, and gym access
WHY it exists: The locks for each of these things are unique, so a different key must be used. Having a master key can compromise the effectiveness of the lock.
15. Professors who do not do carry-through for problems where answers carry from part a through part k
WHY it exists: Classes are usually large in volume, so grading exams using carry-through would be a tedious practice.
16. The wait times in emergency rooms end up being multiple hours which isn’t ideal for emergency situations
WHY it exists: If an accident happens after business hours, Urgent Care and family practices are closed. This means that all injured people must go to the ER which can create long wait times (especially if there is a shortage of staff). ERs also preference some cases over others (e.g. a car crash over a fever).
17. When Pollo Tropical doesn’t tell you that they have run out of an ingredient until after you’ve ordered
WHY it exists: This forces people to stay and choose an alternative ingredient, instead of taking their business elsewhere.
18. How automatic doors at stores do not open until you are really close to them, so you end up having to pause
WHY it exists: If the doors open when the customer is too far away, they might open as people walk by them (instead of just when they want to leave). This would waste energy and it might prompt people to finish shopping faster.
19. When automatic toilets don’t flush with enough water so not everything gets flushed
WHY it exists: Automatic toilets were designed to reduce the spread of bacteria and to conserve water, so they release less water than manual toilets. This can cause things to be improperly flushed.
20. Video lectures that offer closed captioning sometimes and not other times
WHY it exists: Closed captioning needs people to constantly
monitor the lectures and write a transcript, or the school must buy an
automated program to do it which makes it hard to implement.
Reflection
This assignment was both easy and hard. I found it
particularly easy to identify 20 things that bug me daily because I usually
make a mental note of things that I perceive to be inconvenient. For instance,
I drive my scooter to campus every day and have to park in double scooter
parking spots. While this saves space, when it’s time to leave I have to move
another scooter out of way to back out my scooter.
The challenging part of this assignment was
determining the why. While I always notice things that bug me, I have never
really taken the time to think about why those bugs exist. For instance, I have
absolutely no idea why people give directions using the cardinal directions. I personally
would rather just tell someone the streets they need to take. However, this
assignment pushed me to think about the why and thus I was able to evaluate the
advantages and disadvantages of things being the way they are. For instance, it
is actually advantageous to give cardinal directions because it offers
flexibility on the route people can take to reach their destination.
