A New Discovery--A Hidden Pet Peeve

Today, I rushed to the bathroom because, like always, I had to go RIGHT before class. This bathroom trip was like every other bathroom trip--until I opened my bathroom stall door. I literally almost collided with a girl that I recognized on campus. I won't mention names because I obviously wouldn't do that...but what happened next just really bothered me.

Let me just set the scene for you (so you aren't confused at my frustration later on).

I was in an academic building in a bathroom with four stalls. Four. Just remember that when I tell you the rest. The bathroom was empty when I entered it which meant all of the stalls were empty except for mine. I don't know about anyone else but I have a routine whenever I walk into public bathrooms.

Courtesy of The Blog O'Cheese

Routine

1. Look at every toilet to make sure no "unmentionables" are present in or around the toilet.
2. Make sure toilet paper is available, if not, move on.
3. The next step is pretty self-explanatory.
4. Wash my hands
5. Leave

Well, just as I was opening the door to head to the sink, I ran into this girl I vaguely knew. We didn't exchange words, we just awkwardly went around each other. That's not the weird part though. As I moved away from my stall, she instantly bolted in it (I'm exaggerating, it was a fast-paced walk) and slammed the door.

Didn't catch the weird part?

Let me elaborate. There were THREE perfectly good, empty stalls (I know, I checked) next to my stall and the fact that she was waiting for my stall when the others were not occupied, struck a nerve with me. I don't know why I am so freaked out by this, but I am. Since I have a routine for bathrooms, I guess I just assumed everyone did. I am not saying I am mad she took my stall, I don't care what stall she uses. I personally don't jump to the only stall that is occupied in a bathroom (when the others are fine) and use it right after someone else does.

To me, it's like an unwritten rule just like guys have in their bathrooms. For boys, you don't stand next to an occupied stall when others are open. I feel like the same should apply here.

I know I am tidy and I know I left my stall just fine, however, how embarrassing would it have been if I was still washing my hands and she decided to go the next stall after walking in mine? Yeah, I thought about that...awkward.

I know this may be a stupid pet peeve, but I can't  help it. If you are ever in a public bathroom, please don't stake out an occupied stall while someone is in it, wait for them to be done, and then go in their stall when there were others available at the time. Just a thought...

Let's just say, next time I see her, I am going to try not to maintain eye contact. It's weird. She will be forever known to me as "the girl that almost pummeled me in the bathroom to get to my stall". Unless this stall has some Harry Potter magical power, I will never understand the importance of waiting for it after me. Okay, my rant is now over.

Does anyone else have really weird pet peeves?